Finding why : helping students cultivate purpose in college
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Megan Christine Delph Cayton (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- R. Bradley Johnson
Abstract: When we are young, we are often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question is challenging for many to answer. When we are young, our idea of what we can be is often based on what we know given our short life experiences or occupations held by those close to us or where we grow up, such as a teacher, nurse, farmer, police officer, or firefighter. The idea of being a scientist or nuclear engineer is often not yet clear. The choices around us when we are young are not always clear, so the idea of going to college may not yet be in sight. Growing up is the process of making meaning in our lives. Purpose is one way one can create meaning within their pathway in life. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to develop an in-depth understanding of how the experiences of traditional, first-year, college-aged students contributed to their path to purpose. Through intentional activities and tools, students engaged in work that allowed them to cultivate and articulate their purpose in life based on their meaningful experiences. The study described those experiences, specifically Life Design experiences, that the students articulated as helping them to cultivate and articulate their purpose in life. Damon (2008) stated, “finding a clear purpose in life is essential for their achievement of happiness and satisfaction in life, and that doing so is a good deal harder than it should be in our present-day cultural environment” (p. 22). He went on to define purpose as: … an ultimate concern. It is the final answer to the question, Why? Why are you doing this? Why does it matter to you? Why is it important? A purpose is a deeper reason for the immediate goals and motives that drive most daily behavior (Damon, 2008, p. 22). As higher education professionals, how are we preparing students to explore their purpose and navigate change? How we work with students, particularly traditional, first-year, college students, can influence the rest of their college careers and even the rest of their lives. The researcher contends that college is more than getting a degree; it is about creating a meaningful life and finding a place in the larger world (Damon, 2008). It is about creating a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging in a world that has the potential to swallow us whole. This study sought to answer the question: What are the transformative experiences of first-year students at a large, Southern, public university who have worked through an intentional, experiential Life Design course to cultivate and articulate their purpose in life? A phenomenological qualitative approach was used to answer the question. Although there is substantial research on finding one’s purpose, the research specifically on how students cultivate and articulate their purpose in higher education is sparse. Participants were identified based on their participation in a Life Design course. In total, nine students participated in the interviews and document review. Face-to-face or virtual interviews focused on the experiences before, during, and after the Life Design course and relationships that helped participants cultivate and articulate their purpose in life. The results were organized into themes: (a) the critical importance of the process in being able to cultivate and articulate purpose; (b) inclusiveness, where the participants through the course were provided space to conduct a deep dive into who they were and why that matters; and (c) the opportunity to reflect, connect, and grow with peers in an environment conducive to such. Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs, Baxter-Magolda’s (2001) self-authorship, and Krumboltz’s (2009) happenstance learning theory were used to connect purpose to life experiences. Findings suggested that while participants could cultivate and articulate their purpose, the process of doing so is of utmost importance. Going through the SPARCK model—story, purpose, aspirations, reflection, connection, and kick-start—in an environment that created space for them to do so was what allowed for the ability to cultivate and articulate their purpose in life.
Finding why : helping students cultivate purpose in college
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Created on 5/1/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
- Keywords
- Advising, Coaching, Life Design, Purpose
- Subjects
- College freshmen $x Services for
- Counseling in higher education
- Self-actualization (Psychology)