Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Sonya R. Draper

Abstract

Student social organizations can play a vital role in a college students’ lives. Undergraduate students have many opportunities to join student organizations during their time on campus. The literature found focused on students who are members of degree-specific organizations and Greek-letter organizations and the transferable skills that employers identify as essential for recent college graduates. This study examined how students who are involved in student social organizations develop transferable skills that will assist them as they transition from their undergraduate careers into their professional careers. A total of five undergraduate students were interviewed for this study. The students who participated in the study are current members of two different social organizations at a four-year public institution in the Triad area of North Carolina. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews. Each interviewee was asked 10 semi-structured questions. Each interview was audio recorded for clarity and validity. In addition to the interviews, other qualitative research methods were used during this study. Methods that were used include, but were not limited to, open coding and purposeful sampling. Edmund Husserl’s (1970) Phenomenological Theory guided this study. This theory focuses on the lived experiences looking through the lens of the individual. The students are learning transferable skills through their lived experiences as members of a student organization. The findings of this study revealed that students do acquire transferable skills from being members of social organizations. The participants of the study were able to identify transferable skills and how they acquired these skills but found it difficult to translate these skills into a professional setting. Findings from the interviews were divided into three themes: Transferable Skills Identified, Transferable Skills Acquired, and Student Support. The subtheme was 2 Involvement on Campus. The study also provides recommendations for higher education professionals to better aid students in the identification and translation of the transferable skills they have acquired.

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