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Examining Organizational Communication Strategies that Target and Engage Nontraditional Undergraduate Students

Hixenbaugh, Sonja C
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1589925538611892

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Arts in Professional Communication, Youngstown State University, Department of Communicaton.
This qualitative study explores the organizational communication strategies that target and engage nontraditional undergraduate students in higher education. Nontraditional students represent as much as 85 percent of the student population, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Still, there is a disproportionately low number of support services offered to this group within higher education. As a result, nontraditional students’ persistence and graduation rates are lower than those of their traditional counterparts. Although communication barriers have been identified as impediments to academic success for this group, few previous studies have focused on communication strategies at effectively target and engage nontraditional students. Nontraditional undergraduate students were interviewed about their academic experiences related to university engagement through targeted communication. Additionally, case studies were conducted to explore two university programs that provided programs and services for specific student groups, analyzing how targeted communications were used to successfully engage these groups. Qualitative analysis revealed that although the participants’ university did provide efficient and appropriate communication through email, some participants indicated distinct issues with the effectiveness/usefulness of communications related to financial aid and scholarship opportunities for nontraditional students, virtual learning environment challenges and frustrations, overcoming a feeling of disconnection from a social perspective, and giving nontraditional students a `voice’ within their university. Participant responses and information learned from the case studies were used to create a framework guiding the creation of targeted strategic communications for nontraditional students by universities.
Shelley Blundell, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Thomas Flynn, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Cary Wecht, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
75 p.
Communication; Continuing Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Higher Education; Organization Theory; Sociology
Nontraditional students, academic persistence, adult learning concepts, strategic communication plans, barriers to organizational communication, adult student services

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hixenbaugh, S. C. (2020). Examining Organizational Communication Strategies that Target and Engage Nontraditional Undergraduate Students [Master's thesis, Youngstown State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1589925538611892

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hixenbaugh, Sonja. Examining Organizational Communication Strategies that Target and Engage Nontraditional Undergraduate Students. 2020. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1589925538611892.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hixenbaugh, Sonja. "Examining Organizational Communication Strategies that Target and Engage Nontraditional Undergraduate Students." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1589925538611892

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1589925538611892
262
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.