Having a hard time explaining to your folks the importance of playing in an intramural sport? Ever find yourself trying to explain how being in a greek organization benefits you as a person? Ever wonder what's the point of joining a club for your major? Do you sometimes wonder exactly what are the benefits of joining a club or other campus organization? Or, when it comes to working on that resume, do you find yourself asking just what are the benefits of being involved outside of the classroom? If these questions look familiar or if you're looking for ways to beef up that "Experience" section of your resume, keep reading....
In 1993, the University surveyed all 1992 graduates to find out how they were doing out there in the real world and what benefits they thought their UNC Charlotte experiences gave them. Among the many questions asked was a key question about former students' level of involvement in out-of-class experiences such as Student Governance, Clubs and Organizations, and Intramurals.
Remember back to orientation and those first few weeks of school when people (your OC, SAFE counselor, RA, professor or friend) talked to you about the importance of getting connected to UNC Charlotte and to get involved in a group? They probably said something about having fun and maybe learning something about yourself by getting involved with others. Well, when we compared how "involved" students answered the survey compared to "non-involved" students, those statements took on a whole new meaning.
When asked what was the UNC Charlotte contribution to a wide variety of personal development areas, our "involved" students felt more positive than "non-involved" students in:
Developing Ethical Principles
Developing an Appreciation for Racial and Sexual Equality
Developing Public Responsibilities
Developing an Understanding of World Needs
Preparation for Employment
Satisfaction with Current Employment
Is this just a quirk with numbers? Not really. In fact, three previous studies of UNC Charlotte students conducted over the past six years have all demonstrated the benefits of participating in the out-of-class experience in terms of increased personal growth and development. UNC Charlotte was even selected as one of 14 institutions in a recent national study (and publication) which detailed the benefits of "Involving Colleges" and highlighted some of our programs.
Alright, what's the downside here? Well, involvement can be stressful especially if taken to extremes. If you get wrapped up in too many activities and organizations, you can't devote the necessary time to your academic studies. Moderation and effective time management are the key words here!
So, the next time someone asks you why you're involved in something beyond classroom, look back on what college life was like before you got involved and how much you've grown both personally and professionally since then. Colleges do produce the leaders of tomorrow; make sure you're one of them. Get Involved and Stay Involved in your UNC Charlotte experience.