Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2024
Degree Type
Capstone - Open Access
Instructor/Advisor
Dr. Melissa Nemon & Dr. Audrey Falk
Abstract
University athletic departments often have mission statements that align with the missions of the college they are associated with. In these statements, community service is often prominent in the goals of collegiate athletics and the schools themselves. This capstone examines the existing community service policies for student-athletes at schools in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to identify strengths and patterns for future schools to establish or modify their own policies. The policy analysis utilized qualitative methods to grade individual aspects of the legislation, rooted in Critical Service Learning, Student Involvement Theory, and Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation. While all university policies selected for the study had mentions of service in their mission and had digital publications of their student-athletes conducting community service, the retrieved policies generally did not establish requirements for community service nor define it, leaving interpretation for what is acceptable. Recommendations for university policies regarding community service and student-athletes moving forward should have clear outlines or examples of service events to establish best practice when it comes to creating positive outcomes for all parties involved.
Recommended Citation
Pollina, Jason, "Leadership & Learning: A Qualitative Community Service Policy Analysis for Student Athletes in College" (2024). Community Engagement Student Work. 110.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/soe_student_ce/110
