The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Capstone Research Results

In this presentation we will talk about:

• Our results and some statistical data• Some of the more memorable moments of

our interviews• What we concluded from these interviews• Our coding method

We collected data by interviewing faculty members and representatives of the student organizations and

campus offices

# of Projects Hours Students Student Hours

Response Rate

Faculty 157 3574.5 368.5 7886 62%

Offices 58 8941 4754 5292 45%

Student Orgs.

480 6680 47568 69%

Totals 695 12515 11802 60746 Average=63.5%

Faculty Data

Service Work• Difficulty distinguishing professional,

academic, and personal service work– Dependent on interview style– 25% service requirement

• Tangible results from volunteer efforts

Impact of Political Climate• Increased sense of polarization– Either increased or eliminated political

involvement– Direct vs. indirect impact (issue based

involvement)• Voting was unaffected

Campus Offices Data

Exemplary Involvement by UW-L Offices• Office of Admissions: The UW-L vanguards are one of the

most active organizations on campus. • The office’s primary campus project is the UW-L

vanguard. • High visibility on campus• UW-L ambassadors

• Campus Climate: • Raise campus awareness on social issues.• Awareness Through Performance (ATP)

• Murphy Library• Voter information• Tax information• Voting and tax resources

Overarching Themes• Within our interviews, we found that when a

culture of volunteerism is instilled in an office, there’s more likely to be a community presence by those employees/volunteers outside of work.

• Using the NCOC form, we found that high numbers in the “civic knowledge and agency” category was correlated with higher levels of online and community engagement.

Student Organizations Data

Academic Student Organizations• Student Organizations split into 3 groups• Academic- group based on scholastics and pre-professional

programs• Exceptional groups that went above and beyond• Screaming Eagles Marching Band:• Adopt-a Highway• Cancun Trip• Stepping Out in Pink- Breast Cancer walk in La Crosse• Vietnam Veterans

Academic Student Organizations• Spanish Club:• Advocate for the La Crosse Women’s Shelter• “Ooley’s in the Cooley’s- haunted trail, pumpkin carvings,

spooking children for fun• College of Business Administration Student Advisory

Council:• Hunger Task Force-(Food Drive) worked with Downtown

Main Street Incorporated- a non profit organization• Collected 517 pounds of food and raised $427 • Students strive to enrich the community through

volunteerism and activism

Non Academic Student Organizations• Aikido / Competitive Ballroom Dance Team:

Not your typical volunteering. Hold dance lessons for residents of nursing homes and kids at the Boys

and Girls Club in La Crosse.

• Newman Catholic Students: Was a standout as far as involvement went. 900 Members, 14,000+ student hours, 2000+ volunteer hours Good Neighbor Day Serve supper for people in need Place of Grace Homeless shelter

Non Academic Student Organizations• Resident Hall Association Council:

Sanford Block Party Residence Evil

• Students Today Leaders Forever: Alternative Spring Break 33 students went to 5 cities for 9 days to perform community service

projects.

Greek Life• 11 Social Organizations, 9 Honor Societies– volunteer requirements

• Sigma Tau Gamma's Riverwatch • Most have a philanthropic cause

Greek Life• Honors/Academic societies – varying levels of involvement

• Sigma Delta Pi-Epsilon – Gundersen Lutheran

• Delta Sigma Pi's – quarterly donation drives

• Some exist only to recognize academic achievement

National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) Measures

VolunteerFaculty Members

Student Organizations Campus Offices Total

Coach or Referee? 2 6 8

Tutor or Teach? 7 15 5 27

Mentor Youth? 4 7 2 13

Usher, greeter, minister? 2 8 1 11

Collect, prepare, distribute, serve food? 1 13 1 15

Fundraise or sell items to raise money? 3 61 4 68Provide counseling, medical care, fire/EMS, protective services? 12 12

Provide professional or management assistance including serving on a board or committee? 41 6 3 50Engage in music, performance, or other artistic activities? 2 9 1 12Other (Specify) 21 137 12 170Engage in physical labor? 1 38 39Collect goods to be donated? 17 4 21Public Meetings w/discussion of community affairs? 7 11 4 22Worked with neighbors to solve a problem? 5 19 5 29Donate more than $25 in goods, money, services, assets? 4 41 7 52

GroupsFaculty Members

Student Organizations

Campus Offices Total

Attended a meeting of any group or organization? 65 432 497

In the last 12 months, have you been an officer or served on a committee of any group or organization? 17 23 17 57

A school group, neighborhood, or community association 17 336 353

A service or civic organization such as American Legion or Lions Club 0 5 16 21

A sports or recreation organization such as a soccer or tennis club 8 43 5 56

A church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious institutions or organization NOT COUNTING attendance at religious services 4 38 3 45

Any other type of organization (specify) 34 37 1 72

Public WorkFaculty Members

Student Organizations

Campus Offices Total

Discuss politics with family or friends? 3 1 4

Eat a meal with others? 2 15 17See or hear from friends or family, in person or not? 2 3 5Communicate with friends and family by email or on the internet? 3 3 6

Talk with any of your neighbors? 2 11 2 15

Doing favors for neighbors? 1 8 9

Read a newspaper in print or on the internet? 2 2 4 8Read new magazines in print or on the internet? 2 1 3Watch the new on television or get news from television internet sites? 2 1 3

Obtain news from any other internet source—blogs, chat rooms, independent news services?

1 1

Educate the public on issues. 11 40 51

Register Citizens to Vote 1 3 6 10

Contacted a public official? 6 11 17

OnlineFaculty Members

Student Organizations

Campus Offices Total

Used the internet to express opinions about political or community issues within the last 12 months?

9 7 16

Used the internet to educate about political or community issues within the last 12 months?

11 9 20Used the internet to stay in contact with a community? 19 43 2 64

Civic Knowledge and AgencyServe as a liaison between groups in community 21 31 52Engage in or facilitate educational conversations outside the classroom? 25 36 61

Provide access to information56 87 143

knowledge/distribution of civic knowledge13 19 32

Social Trust Faculty Members

Student Organizations

Campus Offices Total

Trust of neighbors2 13 15

Trust in institutions 39 51 90

Political Engagement

Encourage members to vote 8 10 18

Some Exceptional Examples

• Volunteering: 52 projects donated more than $25 in goods, money, or services• Groups: 497 projects involved attending a

group meeting or organization. 358 of these were school or community organizations.• Public Work: 51 projects involved educating

the public on different issues.• Civic Knowledge and Agency: 143 projects

provided access to information

Thank You!• Interviewees• Karin Johnson• The Capstone Students that did not present

today.