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Jobs PLUS Team A: Piloting Pre- and Post-Assessments

Olivia Elliot, Hans Varga, Mitchell Huftalin, Timothy Klagues

Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs, Northern Illinois University

HESA 573: Applied Assessment Methods in Higher Education

Dr. Mac

December 7th, 2020

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Abstract

Jobs PLUS presented the opportunity to collaboratively create pre- and post-assessments

for each of the four competencies: communication, leadership, diversity and inclusion, and

building your network. Due to the limited time to work on this project, the team built four of

eight assessments, focusing on the two core competencies that had the most events. Those were

leadership and building your network. The pre- and post-assessments were piloted in early

November to collect information on student learning for a leadership event. As a group, several

recommendations and future implications for events were drawn. The methods used for this

project included multiple surveys created through Qualtrics. The pre-assessment survey included

60 responses out of 71 attendees and the post-assessment contained 42 student responses. The

purpose of these assessments was also to gain more in-depth and specific information on student

learning from each of the four competencies.

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Introduction

Upon meeting with a campus partner, a need for a reevaluation of assessment tools

appeared. As a program that prides itself on the opportunities for connections and growth within

the personal and professional lives of undergraduate students, the program sought to learn more

about what students gain from attending their events. One of our guiding questions relates to the

four competencies of Jobs PLUS (communication, leadership, diversity and inclusion, and

building your network) and what students learn or gain from each event that focuses on each

respective competency based on the learning objectives of the program.

Jobs PLUS

The Jobs PLUS program at Northern Illinois University seeks to bridge the gap between

professional development needs for students and desirable experience and knowledge desired by

employers. The program identifies the difficult balance a student encounters as they complete

academic coursework while employed. Student workers have less time to attend programming

designed for professional development as students need to reserve time for classes, homework,

and personal lives outside of work. Jobs PLUS allows students an opportunity to learn and apply

their new knowledge to their current position and prepare for their future careers. As stated

previously, Jobs PLUS centers on four core competencies to build the student leaders:

communication, leadership, diversity and inclusion, and building your network.

We sought to look at the core competencies within the lens of learning outcomes, thus

allowing us to see the effects of the competencies when employed in the program. It was

important to investigate and assess what students learned at each event as it provided our

team the opportunity to look at the learning objective of each event. Further, we were able
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to assess whether the learning objectives were met based on the assessment results. By assessing

student learning outcomes, we were able to look at the data to determine what improvements

can be made for the next events. Additionally, we looked to benchmark and

research other institutions to see what types of programming they have similar to Jobs PLUS.

Regarding benchmarking, we researched and assessed other institutions to gather information

about how they are conducting assessment with their programing. As a result, our

team implemented some ideas, offered suggestions for practice, and used findings to improve

current efforts. We intend to incorporate information from other institutions to determine what

can be incorporated into the Jobs PLUS program at NIU.

Review of Literature

The team found multiple areas we needed to become more familiar with. The first area

we needed to look at was research that gave information about the general description of

programs similar Jobs PLUS and the impact it had on student experiences and learning. Doing

this assisted the team in analyzing results by giving examples of how other programs are run, and

the results they received. The second area knowledge needed to be gained was about different

methodologies applicable to conducting this assessment. Each team member had some course

background with assessment but wanted to ensure a firm understanding prior to proceeding. The

final area the team wanted to look at was the impact programs such as Jobs PLUS had on other

aspects of student development. These areas included job preparedness and application of

learnings inside and outside of the classroom. By looking into the effects such programs had on

retention, the team was better prepared to tailor the assessment to the needs of the client.

Hybrid Programs in Higher Education 

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In an article written by Bennett, Knight, and Rowley (2020), they expressed employers

are looking for students to be ready to join the workforce prior to graduation. However, students

identified themselves as not prepared for such a task. Bennett et al. continued to state students

must participate in career preparatory activities, including technology, that highlights their

experiences to showcase job preparedness.

Hybrid programs combine learning online and in the classroom. It is important to tailor

such programs to students needs as some students can only participate in programs online, while

others prefer to or are able to participate in-person. Some barriers that may prohibit students

from participating include not having the technology to participate online and not having a way

to commute to in-person programs. 

Staff who work hybrid programs should assess programs after each is completed.

Assessing at the end of each program and sharing findings with students is important because it

gives staff members the opportunity to discuss results with students, ask questions, and make

necessary changes prior to the next program. By creating self-assessments for students

participating in the program, researchers were able to identify how to cater career workshops to

reflect student's needs. Following the career workshops, students were tasked with creating a

self-care plan on how to transition into the workforce after graduation. This can create an action

plan and return responsibilities to the student to apply their learnings from the event to their life.

Bennett, Knight and Rowley (2020) also established that, in the authors minds, a key

component to the success of these programs is allowing students to see collected results. Seeing

the collected results allows students to have buyback on the progress programs are bringing to

students. As the team moved further into the assessment project, this proved important to
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remember, especially as we were attempting to look at the impact these studies can have. If a

program that is based off hybrid learning is moderately successful, it should be looked at

regularly and changes should be made to make it more successful or more targeted to aid

students in their transitions in the future. The authors also “contend that the hybridity combined

with the use of existing resources positions this approach well for use with large student cohorts”

(Bennett, Knight & Rowley, 2020, p.13) As the team looked at the roles these critical programs

hold in higher education, understanding how they are best implemented and adapted to work in

higher education was important. 

Bullen, Kordecki, and Capener (2018) outlined the disparities that may occur between

students’ careers as students to employees. This connection starts in the classroom but must

continue outside. Bullen et al. (2018) expressed “professors of all backgrounds help students by

making opportunities available for practitioner/student interaction to learn about the profession

in the classroom setting – and by encouraging opportunities for this interaction and learning

outside the classroom” (p. 5). While Bullen et al. continued to focus on how the curriculum can

benefit students when preparing them for their careers, the curriculum should have included

additional events built in to supplement learning in the classroom. Something Jobs PLUS

identified was students not having time to attend leadership meetings or conferences. As a result,

they attempt to offer resources to students while on the job. Bullen et al. further suggested

“students may not only have limited hours to put forth in outside endeavors, but also the timing

of such endeavors can conflict with other activities” (p. 9).

Impact of Working and Employment on Student Outcomes 

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In a dissertation written by Savoca (2016), she discussed student engagement, high

impact practices, student employment, and the impact of being a working student. To emphasize

the true purpose of the research, Savoca emphasized engagement was not limited to the

classroom, but also included out of the classroom experiences like employment or other

leadership experiences. A study conducted by Kuh (1995), concluded “leadership and work

experiences helped them (participants) clarify career goals, apply knowledge to real-world

situations, and develop practical, career-relevant skills” (as cited by Savoca, 2016, p. 25). Savoca

continued to present several other studies emphasizing the positive impact out of classroom

experiences had on the development of students. The information presented from this

dissertation signifies a linkage between the positive outcomes from other studies and the benefits

of Jobs PLUS. 

Programs like Jobs PLUS can also be referring to as experiential learning opportunities.

Savoca took some time to explain her research of high impact practices as experiential education.

Several years of research had demonstrated “experiential education positively contributes to

student learning, academic achievement, and persistence” (Astin, 1994; Hesser, 2014; Patel et

al., 2010 as cited by Savoca, 2016, p. 30). Further, it has been proven such activities provide

chances for students to apply what they learned in the classroom to gain real-world, applicable

experiences. Relating to Jobs PLUS, such programs and employment provide opportunities for

students to apply knowledge to future jobs, interviews, and more. 

Academics

Baran (2010) focused much of her research on the academic impact of on-campus

employment. Several aspects covered are persistence, academic achievement, balance, and
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institutional integration. While many assume increased amounts of time participating in

extracurricular activities can take away from one's academic focus, Baran researched to prove the

opposite. Research prior to the 2000s presented a negative impact on academics for those

working. However, data collected by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

proved to be the turning point. An overall emphasis was placed on the amount of time spent

working. Reportedly, students who worked 20 hours or less per work on-campus had higher

grades (NSSE 2000 & 2004 as cited in Baran (2010). Overall, as with any extracurriculars,

balance is required to manage responsibilities and still be high achieving.

Importance of Pre- and Post-Assessments 

            An article written by Hockett and Doubet (2013) mentioned pre-assessments are

assessments given before an event or lesson and explained how pre-assessments play an

important role in education along with determining learning goals or objectives. It was important

to note pre-assessment questions should be aimed at measuring student understanding.  In one

articles, McDevitt, Patel, Rose, and Ellison (2016) concluded that post-assessments are

assessments given at the end of a lesson or event. Pre-assessments should evaluate a student's

understanding about a respective topic(s) for an upcoming event or lesson, and post-assessments

should evaluate student learning after an event or lessor. Pre- and post-assessments proved

appropriate for this project because the team was looking to gain and understanding of students'

knowledge about the two Jobs PLUS competencies, leadership and building your network, prior

to the respective competency's event and an understanding of how/if that knowledge transformed

from attending the event. 

Literature Gaps
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After conducting research for the literature review, the team found a lack of information

related to career development high impact practices in the United States. Many of the studies

found were from other countries like Australia. While this information is helpful, it is unclear

how relatable it is to educational systems in the United States, as well as the development of

students. Due to the scope of the project, the team was also unable to draw conclusions on the

impact working and participating in Jobs PLUS has on a student's academics. The research could

prove helpful for future studies on the impact Jobs PLUS has on student learning inside and

outside of the classroom, the impact participation has on grades, and if participation impacts the

amount of time spent on schoolwork.

Methodology

When starting any great endeavor, it is important to first develop a plan in which to

follow. This stands true for most things, but especially stood true for the team in the case of

creating a data analysis survey, as well as completing an assessment of a certain program. The

following sections dive into the method for data collection, with a special note on the creation of

the team's assessment. Following, will be an in-depth review on how the analyzed the retrieved

data. Specifically, this section will cover analyzing and making meaning of responses to both the

pre- and post-assessment surveys. To ensure the team upheld the correct standards, there is a

discussion of the different standards and ethics that played a role in conducting this semester

long assessment project.

Data Collection 
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Data collection was among one of the most crucial pieces of the project and of the events.

Of course, the creation and execution of Jobs PLUS events is critical, but feedback on the

experiences of those who attended proved incredibly insightful to the team in order to provide

recommendations for the future. It was the teams hope to use the collected data to provide

recommendations for improving the created assessment and an outline for creating the remaining

four pre- and post-assessment for the competencies: communication, diversity and inclusion.

Overall, the data collected will assist in strengthening events and assessment for semesters to

come.

The team was able to collect some information from our initial meeting with the

client. Some of the information the team was able to collect was on the scope of the project, the

requested outcomes, and the team also received copies of previous surveys and their results. The

team utilized this information to create four unique pre- and post-assessments for leadership and

building your network, the two Jobs PLUS competencies with the most events of the Fall 2020

semester.

Source of Data

The sources of data for our project came from Jobs PLUS. Specifically, the participants

were the students who attended Jobs PLUS events and took the pre- and post-assessment. The

team was incredibly lucky with the collection and recruitment aspect of collecting data as

students are required to register for Jobs PLUS events prior to their attendance. As a result, the

team did not have to recruit participants to take our assessment, but rather relied on the

recruitment of students to the events. Another aspect the team had to consider was the reminder

to complete the pre- and post-assessment. Fortunately, Qualtrics, the team's tool for creating and
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distributing the assessment had options to email participants had not yet completed the survey. In

order to send follow-up communication, somebody from the Jobs PLUS program would need to

create and input a contact list of those who should be contacted for each event.  

Survey Creation  

To ensure our team had thoroughly thought of and created the most effective data

collection survey, we determined it was beneficial to have one individual create the survey and

have the remaining team members check the survey and offer suggestions. The team chose this

option to ensure a well-structured and cohesive survey, as well as to ensure the writing style

stayed the same throughout. The team used several questions from an existing survey and created

additional questions for each of the respective competencies. In regards to what the team asked

about leadership and building your network at the initial meeting, some questions included:

asking about previous or current leadership experiences and experiences with building their

network for their future job/career, rating how applicable leadership skills/experiences and

building your network are to their future careers/jobs before attending and after attending the

event, how their knowledge expanded about the topics covered during the event, and how they

will apply what they learned to their future career. Other questions the team asked included: what

they wish to gain from attending the event and if they gained what they wanted from attending.

The team determined this would be the best plan of action to ensure accuracy and consistency,

responses, and length among other things. Finally, before piloting the survey, we had the client

review and provide feedback on necessary or suggested changes.

Data Analysis 
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This semester, the team collaborated with the client to determine a focus would be placed

on two of the four competencies in order to create four of the eight assessments. This allowed the

team the chance to focus solely on the competencies that were most prominent through the

remainder of the semester. This also allowed the team the opportunity to launch surveys and gain

feedback on what can and should be adjusted.

One of the ways the team analyzed the data was by looking at student learning outcomes

of the two competencies. Essentially, the team looked at the data from the pre- and post-

assessment from each of the two competencies to see what students knew about each

competency prior to attending the Jobs PLUS event and what they learned or gained from

attending the event. This helped the team determine whether the learning outcomes of each event

was met or if there needed to be a re-evaluation of future events.  

One of the ways the team made meaning of data from the pre- and post-assessment was

by determining future recommendations for events with each respective competency. Based on

future recommendations, the team also made meaning from the data collected by modifying

questions on the pre- and post-assessments. Another way the team made meaning of data was by

comparing the results to the learning objectives of each event.    

Standards and Ethics 

Standards and ethics are important in any work, especially work of institutions. In order

to maintain confidentiality of the data, or in this case, the students, the team determined not to

ask for personal information including students' names or Z-IDs. Instead, asked students what

year they were in school. The team wanted to gain information about year in school to determine
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how and which students are being reached, and which group of students attended most. As a

result, this information allowed the team, and will allow the coordinators of Jobs PLUS to better

create events for the future and meet attendees where they are.  

Each team member had some knowledge and hands-on experience working with

Qualtrics. The team's knowledge and previous experiences provided us the foundation to

create an in-depth data collection survey that best suited the needs of our client and collected the

information they were seeking to gain. The team's knowledge and experiences made us

trustworthy and emphasized others can rely on the work completed. For students, trustworthiness

was gained by understanding no personal information was collected while providing the most

critical of feedback on programs. By collecting no personal information, the team hoped students

knew they could provide honest feedback and that there would be no repercussions of doing so.

Recommendations

After reviewing the data, as a team, we believed that there were recommendations that

could be implemented for future Jobs PLUS events. We believe that the recommendations that

we suggested will help Jobs PLUS foster more successful events in the future. We also believe

that the recommendations will help Jobs PLUS receive the data they are seeking to get from each

event. While these recommendations are related to one event, they would be beneficial to

implement in any event carried out by Jobs PLUS.

For Practice

After reviewing the pre- and post-assessment results, the team developed a few

recommendations we thought would be beneficial for future events. First, we recommend

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including the respective pre-assessment in the registration process. This would ensure all

students seeking to participate in the respective event will complete the survey and share their

current knowledge about the topic, their experiences, and hopes for the meeting. Having students

complete the pre-assessment as part of the registration process can also assist the speaker, guest,

or Jobs PLUS staff in meeting students where they are.

Second, we recommend cross-checking the number of attendees to post-assessment

responses. The team formulated this recommendation as we noticed 84.5% of student attendees

responded to the pre-assessment versus 59.2% of student attendees who responded to the post-

assessment.

Third, we recommend included providing follow-up communication after the event,

specifically related to reminding students to complete the post-assessment survey. Creating

follow-up communication could increase the number of responses received on the event,

resulting in better feedback to update events in the future.

Fourth, we recommend clarifying the goals of each event prior to registration and the

event. Clarifying goals for the event can assist students in staying focused and on task during the

event, giving their full attention to what they registered for. It also provides students the

opportunity to see what they will learn about during the event.

Finally, we recommend creating a more streamlined system of assessment going forward

with events. Assessments are reviewed thoroughly and compared to each other determine the

primary purpose and goals for the assessments that are administered.
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Conducting additional research can prove helpful in the future as Jobs PLUS continues to

grow and develop. First, we recommend looking at what institutions are doing for programming

similar to Jobs PLUS. By completing this research, Jobs PLUS would be able to identify

components that are similar and different regarding their events and can also incorporate new

ideas for future events. Second, we recommend conducting research about incorporating student

learning inside and outside of the classroom events. This will allow students to demonstrate prior

knowledge from what they learned in the classroom and what they learned from previous jobs or

other experiences they have.

Implementing conversation based qualitative assessments at the end of each event or

semester is another recommendation the team believes would benefit Jobs PLUS. This can

include allowing students to see and discuss the results or their responses with staff who worked

the event. By implementing this type of assessment at the end of an event or semester, Jobs

PLUS would have an opportunity to see what changes can be made and given the time frame,

implement those changes prior to the next event.

Given the dynamic times currently and the abrupt switch from in-person to online events,

and option for the future could be a combination of the two. Incorporating hybrid programs into

future events could prove beneficial to increase participation. While the team's findings

concluded most students would prefer for events to be in-person, offering a hybrid event would

give students who are unable to attend in-person the opportunity to participate. This also

provides students the option to choose which method would work best for them.

Increasing promotional content for Jobs PLUS events on social media platforms would

help lead to an increase in student participation in events. Based on assessment results, only a
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few students mentioned they heard about the event on social media. If events are shared over a

period of time on different platforms, it is more likely the event will get more registrants, and

there is an increased possibly it will be shared for others to see. Assessment results also showed

students mostly heard about the event from others. Sharing on social media could lead to campus

departments, students, alumni, and other companies sharing and promoting the event further.

Major Findings

The goal of this assessment was to analyze the effectiveness of the Jobs PLUS programs

in meeting the goals established in the mission statement of the program. In analyzing the results

of the assessment, there were quite a few things that could be considered of major note. This

section will start by looking at the results that were compiled with the use of the quantitative

survey questions. After completing that review, this section will then look at the results that can

be seen from the qualitative questions. Then there will be an overall review of the complete

findings before concluding the rest if the paper. Please do note that the results of the post

program survey can be found in Appendix A.

Quantitative Findings

When reviewing the quantitative data that was collected, a few things can be surmised.

First, a good portion of students attending Jobs PLUS events are upper classmen, with the largest

selection of attendees coming from the junior class. The next statistic that holds importance is the

composition of the attending students regarding the reason for their attendance. Most of the

students attending came from one of two sources, either the Passport Program or the Honors

Program. The last thing that is of significance in regarding the quantitative section was the
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response of the students about the length of the event, with most of the students saying that the

event was the correct length.

These three specific questions provide a wealth of information that can be used for future

programming done by the Jobs Plus Team. If you analyze what is seen, you can develop not only

advertising that is directed at the less represented minorities of the student population, but you

can also tailor events that will either bring in more students that represent the norm, or students

that would not normally attend Jobs Plus events. Every piece of feedback is important, and if

utilized in certain ways, can help shape planning and advertising to maximize the effectiveness

of the events, but to also give students more access to them.

Qualitative Findings

Now looking at the qualitative side of things there are also a few questions that help

provide information that can be used to support and grow Jobs PLUS. The first question that

yielded results was related to the participants feelings on if the event was knowledgeable

(Questions 10, Appendix A). By looking at the data provided, it is possible to improve the event

to serve more students. As it is, the program that was examined during this survey was well

received, with some students offering feedback as to what might make the program even better.

If this data is used, you may see a larger return rate from previous participants who are trying to

gain real world experience. The second question that can provide a look at the effectiveness of

the program and allows planners to critique future events to better suit what students are looking

for (Questions 14 and 15, Appendix A). This part of the survey was conducted by asking

students what they liked about the event, and what they disliked about the event. While this event

was well received, it is important to always look for ways to improve your programs. By looking
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at the results of questions 14 and 15, it gives you feedback directly related to the event, and helps

to shape future events so that they can be as well received if not better received when they are

hosted in the future.

By using the data that was collected, it is possible to look at the direction that Jobs Plus is

heading and make minor adjustments to not only benefit the program, but the students that attend

events as well. To analyze every question from the survey would take multiple more pages than

what is currently written, but if you examine the data that was collected and used in the creation

of appendix item B, the PowerPoint presentation, you can see further information that helps to

explain the findings that were mentioned above.

Conclusion

Assessment allows creators and observers to learn more about their programs, their

efficiency, and their effects on participants. Results can help improve programs and inform

creators on how they can best support others through specific data and responses. The Jobs

PLUS program identified a possible need for a revised assessment method, including pre- and

post-assessments, to help better understand the interworking of student learning and outcomes

through their programming. By implementing a pre-assessment, Jobs PLUS was able to identify

where the audience was at in terms of knowledge of leadership experience. Following the event,

students were offered the opportunity to express how the event may have changed their

experience with leadership opportunities and experience as it relates to their current position or

future career.
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As results showcased positive results for the leadership program, the implications of the

assessment process presented with several opportunities for change from a singular post-event

assessment. Offering an assessment opportunity to participants before and after the event allows

the presenter to cater their programming to the knowledge of the attendees and can create a more

streamlined process for learning. Student employees already have the challenge of adding an

event to their schedule. Giving a preview of the event through a pre-assessment allows for the

student to begin their engagement and look forward to the application that the event can bring to

their job or future career. Evaluation of these assessments should be conducted to ensure the

participants have clear outcomes prior to the event, and review of the post-assessments should be

used to create more purposeful and transformative events. The future of Jobs PLUS is

everchanging with the constant change of student populations, as should the assessments used to

evaluate student and program outcomes.

References

Baran, J. M., (2010). On-campus employment: A form of engagement? Journal of Student

Affairs, XIX, 57-66. Retrieved September 27, 2020,

from https://mountainscholar.org/bitstream/handle/10217/37632/JOUF_JSA2010.pdf?

sequence=1#page=59
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Bennett, D., Knight, E., & Rowley, J. (2020). The role of hybrid learning spaces in enhancing

higher education students’ employability. British Journal of Educational Technology,

51(4), 1188-1202. doi:10.1111/bjet.12931

Bullen, M.L., Kordecki, G.S., & Capener, E.D. (2018). Student engagement activities to enhance

professional advancement in accounting and business careers. Journal of Instructional

Pedagogies, 20, 1-12.

Freeman, M. (2013). Meaning making and understanding in focus groups: Affirming social and

hermeneutic dialogue. Qualitative Research: A Reader in Philosophy, Core Concepts,

and Practice, 354, 131-148.

Hockett, J.A., & Doubet, K.J. (2013). Turning on the lights: What pre-assessments can do.

Educational Leadership, 50-54.

McDevitt, A.L., Patel M.V., Rose, B., & Ellison, A.M. (2016). Insights into student gains from

undergraduate research using pre- and post-assessments. BioScience, 66(12),

1070-1078.

Rosenthal, M. (2016). Qualitative research methods: Why, when, and how to conduct interviews

and focus groups on pharmacy research. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning,

8(4), 509-516.

Savoca, M., (2016). Campus employment as a high impact practice: Relationship to academic

success and persistence of first-generation college students (Doctoral dissertation,

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Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado). Retrieved

from https://mountainscholar.org/handle/10217/173353

Appendix A

Results of the Post Assessment Survey

Default Report
Jobs PLUS Post-Assessment (Leadership)
November 24th 2020, 4:56 pm MST

Q7 - Please type the name of the event for which you are attending:

Please type the name of the event for which you are attending:

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

JobsPlus

Communiversity Leadership Series – Jennifer Groce

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“Communiversity Leadership Series – Jennifer Groce”

Leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series

Alex Cerny

Leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series

Communiversity Leadership Series: Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series – Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership: Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series

Leadership with Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series-- Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series – Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series: Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series

Communiversity leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

Communiversity with Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership Series - Jennifer Groce

Communiversity Leadership

Communiversity Leadership

Leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series

Communiversity Leadership
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leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series

Leadership

Communiversity Leadership Series

Communiversity Leadership Series

Community Leatership Series- Groce

Aleen Kuruvilla

Communiversity Leadership Series Jennifer Groce

Leadership

community leadership

leadership
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Q2 - What is your year in school?

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 What is 1.00 4.00 3.15 0.86 0.75 39

your year
in school?

# Answer % Count

1 First year 7.69% 3

2 Sophomore 7.69% 3

3 Junior 46.15% 18

4 Senior 38.46% 15

5 Post-BA/S 0.00% 0

6 Graduate Student 0.00% 0

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Total 100% 39
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Q3 - Is this your first semester at NIU?

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 Is this 1.00 2.00 1.76 0.43 0.18 38

your first
semester
at NIU?

# Answer % Count

1 Yes 23.68% 9

2 No 76.32% 29

Total 100% 38
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Q18 - Did you attend this event in participation with a program? Please select all
that apply.

# Answer % Count

1 University Honors 21.95% 9

Program

2 NIU Athletics 2.44% 1

3 Business Passport 46.34% 19

4 An academic course 9.76% 4

5 Employer 9.76% 4

6 Other: 7.32% 3

7 I did not attend this 2.44% 1

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event in participation
with a program

Total 100% 41

Q18_6_TEXT - Other:
Other: - Text

Class Assignment

Kinesiology

Community Advisor
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Q6 - How did you hear about this event?

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 How did 2.00 6.00 5.41 0.78 0.60 39

you hear
about this
event? -
Selected
Choice

# Answer % Count

1 Flyer 0.00% 0

2 Social Media 2.56% 1

3 Friend 0.00% 0

4 UNIV 101/201 2.56% 1

 30

5 NIU Announcements 43.59% 17

6 Other 51.28% 20

Total 100% 39

Q6_6_TEXT - Other
Other - Text

Through the University Honors Program Weekly Update

Honors Announcement

Suitable

Honors weekly update

Business Passport Program

Jobs Plus listing

Suitable App

Jobs Plus Website

Housing and Residential Employment

suitable

Workplace

Jobs plus website

Honors Newsletter

coach sut

Suitable

KNPE 300

Teacher

Honors program
31
 32

Q9 - Please rate how applicable leadership skills and experience are to your
future job/career as a result of attending this event.

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 Leadershi 34.00 100.00 79.38 19.42 377.26 39

p skills
and
experienc
e
 33

Q10 - Do you believe you gained what you wanted from before attending this
event?

Do you believe you gained what you wanted from before attending this event?

I gained a lot of insight from Jennifer Groce about the importance of getting involved in your
community. I also learned about servant leadership means and I also learned about the importance of
getting involved in experiences like an internship during college. Overall, I learned a lot about
leadership skills and qualities leaders have.

I definitely think that Jennifer hit on a variety of skills/qualities that a leader should have, which was
something I was hoping to gain. I enjoyed learning about the various opportunities in the community
and different ways I can apply my knowledge and skills to my community.

Yes, very much so

Yes! It was really nice to hear her story and how she grew up. That type of adversity alone shows
leadership that I hope I can learn and build upon

Yes, I learned a little more about being a servant leader and the aspects that come along with that.

I did gain valuable insight as it relates to leadership support and DEI initiatives.

Yes, I do believe that I gained what I wanted from before attending this event. I learned about a lot of
different great leadership experiences from Jennifer Groce, and heard some fantastic tips and advices
from her.

Yes, it was a very informative event!

Yes, Jennifer is a great example and embodies leadership within the community. She explained much
of what she went through in life to get to where she is now, and she answered all of the questions
openly.

yes

Yes, I did! It was super helpful information and tips to become a better leader! I also learned about
the Gather organization which I plan on joining once I turn 21 this upcoming January! :)

I'm not sure, and I'll be honest, I don't think I'll know until later.

Yes, I learned more about leadership skills from Jennifer and I really enjoyed her conversation about
being a woman and being a leader.

Yes! tips given were very helpful

Yes! Jennifer was very kind, personable, and gave great advice.

Yes
 34

Interesting information about leadership.

Relatively speaking

Yes

I believe that I learned a lot of useful insights from Jennifer. I am very pleased with how this event
went.

Yes

Yes

Great event and conversation about how important leadership is

yes

Yes I do

Yes, and involving more in organization.

Yes

yes I learned some valuable insights

How to provide more leadership opportunities.

Yes

Yes I do

Yes

Yes

Do you believe you gained what you wanted from before attending this event?

I gained a lot of insight from Jennifer Groce about the importance of getting involved in your
community. I also learned about servant leadership means and I also learned about the importance of
getting involved in experiences like an internship during college. Overall, I learned a lot about
leadership skills and qualities leaders have.

I definitely think that Jennifer hit on a variety of skills/qualities that a leader should have, which was
something I was hoping to gain. I enjoyed learning about the various opportunities in the community
and different ways I can apply my knowledge and skills to my community.
 35

Yes, very much so

Yes! It was really nice to hear her story and how she grew up. That type of adversity alone shows
leadership that I hope I can learn and build upon

Yes, I learned a little more about being a servant leader and the aspects that come along with that.

I did gain valuable insight as it relates to leadership support and DEI initiatives.

Yes, I do believe that I gained what I wanted from before attending this event. I learned about a lot of
different great leadership experiences from Jennifer Groce, and heard some fantastic tips and advices
from her.

Yes, it was a very informative event!

Yes, Jennifer is a great example and embodies leadership within the community. She explained much
of what she went through in life to get to where she is now, and she answered all of the questions
openly.

yes

Yes, I did! It was super helpful information and tips to become a better leader! I also learned about
the Gather organization which I plan on joining once I turn 21 this upcoming January! :)

I'm not sure, and I'll be honest, I don't think I'll know until later.

Yes, I learned more about leadership skills from Jennifer and I really enjoyed her conversation about
being a woman and being a leader.

Yes! tips given were very helpful

Yes! Jennifer was very kind, personable, and gave great advice.

Yes

Interesting information about leadership.

Relatively speaking

Yes

I believe that I learned a lot of useful insights from Jennifer. I am very pleased with how this event
went.

Yes

Yes

Great event and conversation about how important leadership is

yes

Yes I do
 36

Yes, and involving more in organization.

Yes

yes I learned some valuable insights

How to provide more leadership opportunities.

Yes

Yes I do

Yes

Yes
 37

Q11 - Click to write the question text

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 The 1.00 5.00 4.62 0.80 0.65 34

facilitator
was
knowledg
eable
about the
topic.

2 The 3.00 5.00 4.82 0.45 0.20 34

 38

facilitator
presented
the
informatio
n clearly.

3 The 3.00 5.00 4.71 0.57 0.33 34

facilitator
provided
excellent
examples.

4 The 3.00 5.00 4.74 0.50 0.25 34

facilitator
answered
questions
clearly
and
concisely.

5 The event 3.00 5.00 4.59 0.65 0.42 34

was well
paced.

6 The event 2.00 5.00 4.50 0.74 0.54 34

had clear
objectives
.

7 The event 3.00 5.00 4.62 0.64 0.41 34

improved
my
understan
ding of
the topic.

8 The event 2.00 5.00 4.56 0.74 0.54 34

provided a
variety of
learning
opportuni
ties.

9 The 3.00 5.00 4.65 0.59 0.35 34

material
was
presented
in an
organized
 39

matter.

10 The 2.00 5.00 4.21 0.93 0.87 34

presented
material
was new
to me.

11 This 2.00 5.00 4.47 0.78 0.60 34

session
provided
me useful
informatio
n that I
could use
to be a
successful
student.

12 The 3.00 5.00 4.47 0.74 0.54 34

presented
material
will be
useful to
my future
career.

13 I would be 2.00 5.00 4.35 0.90 0.82 34

interested
in a
follow-up
or
advanced
event on
this same
topic.

14 I would 2.00 5.00 4.44 0.77 0.60 34

recomme
nd this
event to
others.

15 I would 3.00 5.00 4.59 0.60 0.36 34

attend
other
events
offered by
these
 40

facilitators
.

# Ques Stron Disag Neut Agre Stron Total

tion gly ree ral e gly
disag agree
ree

1 The 2.94 1 0.00 0 2.94 1 20.59 7 73.53 25 34

facilit % % % % %
ator
was
know
ledge
able
abou
t the
topic
.

2 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 2.94 1 11.76 4 85.29 29 34

facilit % % % % %
ator
prese
nted
the
infor
mati
on
clearl
y.

3 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 5.88 2 17.65 6 76.47 26 34

facilit % % % % %
ator
provi
ded
excel
lent
exam
ples.

4 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 2.94 1 20.59 7 76.47 26 34

facilit
 41

ator % % % % %
answ
ered
ques
tions
clearl
y and
conci
sely.

5 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 8.82 3 23.53 8 67.65 23 34

even % % % % %
t was
well
pace
d.

6 The 0.00 0 2.94 1 5.88 2 29.41 10 61.76 21 34

even % % % % %
t had
clear
objec
tives.

7 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 8.82 3 20.59 7 70.59 24 34

even % % % % %
t
impr
oved
my
unde
rstan
ding
of
the
topic
.

8 The 0.00 0 2.94 1 5.88 2 23.53 8 67.65 23 34

even % % % % %
t
provi
ded a
varie
ty of
learn
ing
oppo
rtuni
 42

ties.

9 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 5.88 2 23.53 8 70.59 24 34

mate % % % % %
rial
was
prese
nted
in an
orga
nized
matt
er.

10 The 0.00 0 8.82 3 8.82 3 35.29 12 47.06 16 34

prese % % % % %
nted
mate
rial
was
new
to
me.

11 This 0.00 0 2.94 1 8.82 3 26.47 9 61.76 21 34

sessi % % % % %
on
provi
ded
me
usefu
l
infor
mati
on
that I
could
use
to be
a
succe
ssful
stude
nt.

12 The 0.00 0 0.00 0 14.71 5 23.53 8 61.76 21 34

prese % % % % %
nted
mate
 43

rial
will
be
usefu
l to
my
futur
e
caree
r.

13 I 0.00 0 5.88 2 11.76 4 23.53 8 58.82 20 34

woul % % % % %
d be
inter
ested
in a
follo
w-up
or
adva
nced
even
t on
this
same
topic
.

14 I 0.00 0 2.94 1 8.82 3 29.41 10 58.82 20 34

woul % % % % %
d
reco
mme
nd
this
even
t to
other
s.

15 I 0.00 0 0.00 0 5.88 2 29.41 10 64.71 22 34

woul % % % % %
d
atten
d
other
even
 44

ts
offer
ed by
these
facilit
ators
.
 45

Q12 - Click to write the question text

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 This event 1.00 3.00 2.03 0.30 0.09 34

was...

# Answer % Count

1 ...too short. 2.94% 1

2 ...the right length. 91.18% 31

3 ...too long. 5.88% 2

Total 100% 34
 46

Q13 - Click to write the question text

# Field Minimum Maximum Mean Std Variance Count

Deviation

1 In your 1.00 3.00 1.82 0.62 0.38 34

opinion,
this
event's
content
was...

# Answer % Count

1 Introductory 29.41% 10

2 Intermediate 58.82% 20

3 Advanced 11.76% 4

Total 100% 34
 47

Q14 - What specifically did you like the most about the event?

What specifically did you like the most about the event?

The speaker was very knowledgeable.

The question and answer section. Great input relevant to attendees

I really liked how credible, knowledgeable, and insightful the speaker of tonight's event. I really feel
like I learned a lot about leadership in general, because Jennifer Groce explained everything so well
and was so willing to share her experience and advices with all of the attendees of the event.

I liked how much detail Jennifer gave about her life and her experiences. I was able to connect to her
in a lot of ways and realize that its never too late to get out there and try different things just to get
experience.

Jennifer was great. She is really involved.

I enjoyed hearing about her path as a leader and learning tips for when I go into my career on how to
be a great leader!

The questions and knowledge by the presenter.

I liked the energy from Jennifer Groce.

I liked how organized and collaborative the event was

I liked how personable Jennifer was and how open she was about the hardships she faced through
college while still giving great advice

How open the presenter was with their own life

Opportunities to connect with people.

The effective question answering

Hearing about her background

I liked how Jennifer related the material to the needs of us students.

Jennifer's examples from her own life experience

The speaker and her transparency

The networking potential

the personal stories

How thorough she was when answering questions

I am really appreciative of the speaker

 48

The transparency of the speaker.

The presenter was very good.

The speaker
 49

Q15 - What specifically did you like the least about the event?

What specifically did you like the least about the event?

The audio was buggy.

Went over a few minutes that just included announcements and survey links.

There is no part of the event that I did not like. The whole event was perfect. I loved that there were
visual aids, the speaker is well prepared, and the event was greatly organized.

The timing was a bit difficult to meet being in the evening because I have other responsivities.
However I understand the time they scheduled this event for more of a convenience for some
students. (Also with it being online because of COVID)

N/A

That is wasn't in person of course!!

How I already knew a lot of what they were talking about it.

How it was online and the wifi would cut in and out.

Nothing!

Nothing.

The lack of specification for different real world jobs.

nothing

I have no complaints.

Some answers were a little long so it felt a little slow sometimes

Everything was great

N/A

nothing

It being online

nothing

N/A

The length
50
 51

Q16 - Please explain how your knowledge has been expanded by the topic(s)
covered in today's event.

Please explain how your knowledge has been expanded by the topic(s) covered in today's event.

I learned more about becoming a compassionate leader.

Thoughtful insight from presenter to consider my approach in my leadership role with my company.

I like how Jennifer Groce started off the event with describing her path to the position she is in now.
She mentioned her family, organizations, birthplace, past occupations, and education. This
introduction really demonstrates to us that you can start from a very normal position, and then
gradually grow and develop yourself on your leadership skills until you get higher and better. I also
really liked her introducing to us all about the different organizations and groups that we can research
more about for future opportunities to continue learning and gaining experience in order to improve
ourselves.

I learned a lot more about ways to get involved in my community and how as a college student I can
get involved on my campus.

I like to hear other people's perspectives on leadership, and to see the questions from the crowd.

It was reassuring hearing from a women's perspective that there are groups out there for women to
have a safe environment to grow and learn. I also thought it was unique to hear that you need to
know your limits as a person. It connected with me well because this year I've been trying to
accomplish a lot and do more things, but not being burned out is important. That was a super helpful
tip for me!

I'm not sure, as I felt like I knew a lot of what they were talking about, even if it was good information.

I think that it solidified my knowledge on what it means to be a leader.

I really like how she said to not be afraid to ask questions and get help because I think that is
something that I and many other people struggle with but is crucial to succeed and move forward.
This is a leadership tool that has been brought to my attention again today after this event and is
something I want to work towards.

The presenter brought in different perspectives that allowed me to see things in a different light

I got to know about various opportunities available to us as a student.

I learned a relative amount of new information on how to create leadership skills.

I learned about servant leadership

Learning about how to get involved in the community was a great bonus to this event.

I learned more about community involvement and how to turn it into a career
 52

to be reliable and to get experience if you arent sure about a field

I learned how to be a better leader

I feel more community inclined

Providing these meaningful oportunities

N/A
 53

Q17 - How will you apply what you learned from this event to your current job
of future career?

How will you apply what you learned from this event to your current job of future career?

I will be a better teammate to my coworkers while also taking initiative and being a more effective
leader.

Consider my leadership style with my approach.

I believe it is great that Jennifer Groce described her core values as a leader. The first part that I like
about this is to hear that there are leaders out there that value those principles and virtues even as a
leader. The second part that I like about this is to just learn about some main core values that make
an excellent leader. I will definitely remember Groce's leadership experiences and core values, and
then try to gradually see what kind of leader I can be after attending tonight's event.

I will take some of the qualities found in a good leader that I learned tonight and apply them when I
am in my next leadership position. I will serve others while achieving the goals set forth by the
business.

There's always something to reflect on and learn from any of these types of events.

I think that I'm going to start looking at everything I need to do from a bigger perspective. I put a lot of
high expectations on myself to get stuff completed and perfected, so taking a moment to pause will
be helpful. I don't want to take on too many things and then start seeing negative outcomes. I plan to
join gather once I turn 21 since I've been wanting to get involved with something more in the
community!

I don't know.

As a CA for Housing, I think it could be used to become a better leader for my residents to tie us as a
community.

I will continue to ask questions and allow myself to be vulnerable to knew ideas.

I will use this in my everyday life now to try to be more of a leader in situations where I normally
would've been idle

Making contacts with people.

Use it to show leadership in my workplace settings.

Showed a different kind of leadership you can use

I will keep in mind that I need to be more aware about the news in my local area and try not to focus
so much on the events beyond my control.

I will try to stay involved in my community and serve my area however i can
 54

Ask for help when needed

i will be a better leader

I will explain what I learned when interviewing for a job or internship

Leadership abilities

Education field

N/A
 55

Appendix B

PowerPoint Presentation
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