Ready, Set, INTERVIEW!

Taylor Renwick
Oct 26, 2016
2 min read

In my opinion, one of the best ways to better understand a campus environment and community is by talking to its students. On October 26, 2016, I took the time to walk around campus and speak with various individuals. Majority of the students I talked with were congregated in the Student Union. This makes sense because student unions are typically centrally located buildings that provide many student services including dining locations; in the case of Maynooth University, the bar is located in the Student Union, as is the Student Government. Both the bar and the student government are primary reasons why students congregate at the Student Union.

I asked the students to describe their student engagement on campus, what their job was on campus, and what they liked best about the Student Union. From talking with the Maynooth students, I learned that Maynooth University is an active community. Since it is largely a commuter school, students need to immerse themselves in clubs and societies in order to feel connected to the institution. I also learned that by joining clubs and societies the students felt happier at Maynooth Unviersity and were less likely to transfer. Additionally, nearly every student I spoke with said they wanted to get involved in leadership roles on campus as a way to give back to the community that gave so much to them (friends, happiness, sense of belonging, academic rigor, safe spaces, and fun).

Keeping my interviews in mind, I will bring back to the States the importance of student engagement. In any role I have, I will encourage students to get involved on campus because campus engagement increases students' happiness and overall connection with the campus community. If students feel more connected to the campus, then they are more likely to stay at the university and graduate. The chancellor at UNCW is pushing for an increase in retention and graduation rates. I have always thought that student engagement could be one way to achieve that goal. My suspicion was validated after speaking with the Maynooth students and learning about the importance of student engagement for them.