Campus Engagement and Climate-Based Factors Associated With Academic Achievement of Collegiate Athletes: A Meta-Analytic Investigation

• In Event: Building Bridges: Community Engagement and Social Capital in Student Success

Abstract

In the ever-evolving landscape of intercollegiate athletics in the U.S., postsecondary institutions are aware of the intricate demands necessary for maintaining and promoting academic success. Two facets of the collegiate experience that are influential to academic achievement of collegiate athletes is campus engagement and climate. Aggregating prior studies on college athletics, this meta-analytic review synthesizes the quantitative associations between Campus engagement and climate factors and academic performance of U.S. collegiate athletes. These factors were operationalized into the following categories: adjustment, climate, engagement activities, faculty interactions, peer interactions, racialized experiences, sense of belonging, and social support. Preliminary findings suggest that college adjustment, campus climate, sense of belonging, and social support are critical precursors for improving college athletes’ GPA.

Authors

• Agustín J. García, Texas State University

• Krissica Harper, Texas State University

• Carlton J. Fong, Texas State University

• Pegah Peimani, Texas State University