Social Emotional Competence on Campus and its Impact on Justice and Belonging — 12a — Sydney Altenburg, Savannah Chouinard

It is important for universities to provide an adequate and equitable space for all students to succeed. In recent years, Mount Marty’s student body has diversified greatly as their athletic teams have recruited from more international, urban, and distant locations. It is uncertain, however, whether MMU has made adaptations in their approach to building belonging that compensate for the demographic differences. Though their mission statement and institutional commitments reflect attention to a hospitable environment for learning within a warm community, it is unclear that our physical actions or environmental changes have effectively accommodated all students. We seek to use social-emotional learning (SEL) practices to ensure that we can accommodate all students. SEL is integral in education and the process through which students develop Emotional Intelligence (EQ). EQ is the ability to use, acknowledge, understand, and manage emotions which is vital in developing a healthy identity. Encompassing the ideologies of Catholic Social Teaching, we propose that interventions based on SEL will ensure all students feel a sense of belonging on campus, regardless of diverse backgrounds, characteristics, or circumstances. We will be using both Action Research (AR) and Experimental Design Analysis (EDA) to conduct this study. AR is a mixed methods approach that is an ongoing cycle of action, analysis, and conclusions and EDA involves the use of a consistent variable (SEL) in order to compare its effect on the dependent variable (belonging), as in a longitudinal study comparing annual surveys. In the fall of 2024, we will conduct a Justice and Belonging Survey and focus groups to assess any deficiencies of belonging on campus. We will then create and implement interventions to bridge gaps in belonging if detected. We anticipate that SEL interventions that encompass CST values will lead to a more inclusive and welcoming environment supporting academic success.

Mount Marty College
Dr. Deborah McCuin