Nursing school can be challenging for undergraduate students, largely because they do not know what to expect in terms of the demands of the rigorous academic program. Students who enter the program with unrealistic expectations of the demands, such as underestimated time needed for studying for exams or preparing for clinical and class time, as well as the emotional toll of time away from family and friends are often challenged with being adequately prepared for the day-to-day experience of nursing school. Once students have been in the program a few semesters, they begin to get the flow of the expectation as well as an understanding of how to manage their time. Unfortunately, if their adjustment period is not quick enough, they can academically or voluntarily withdraw due to the pressures of the demanding curriculum. In order to combat this phenomenon and give students a perspective that can assist them in their adjustment period, a Student Navigator Program (SNP) was implemented at a local community college. Data was collected from experimental and control groups using a mixed methods research design - comparing final grade percentage, performance on a standardized exam, and use of support services. The quantitative data suggest there is no statistical significance in participation in the SNP with the exception of a few select cohorts. The qualitative data suggest the SNP program is helpful at the beginning of the first semester of nursing school. Taken together, the data suggest the SNP can be helpful in the beginning of the semester for willing participants to assist with managing the unknown. Data from this study guides nursing programs as they aim to retain current nursing students through the first semester and progress through the program.

The purpose of this action research was to study the impact of managers’ roles in improving employee engagement through professional development programs and customized action plans among Merced College Student Services employees. Ultimately, the goal of the intervention was to increase levels of employee engagement among student services professionals to better thrive as a unit and for students to receive higher levels of customer service. The study was an action research study using a mixed-methods design. The participants for the qualitative one-on-one interviews were three managers, two classified professionals, and two faculty. The sampling was purposive. For the quantitative data collection, the participants of this action research study included the approximately 132 employees in the Student Services Division at Merced College.

Participants completed a pre-survey measuring their levels of employee engagement based on The Gallup Organization’s 12 dimensions of employee engagement. The survey instrument measured 12 constructs and included 36 total items. Based on the results of the pre-survey, managers within the Student Services Division participated in two professional development workshops on employee engagement. The results of the qualitative data analysis resulted in manager-developed action plans, based on the three lowest constructs from the pre-survey, for each of the departments within the Student Services Division. The customized action plans were implemented over an approximately four-month period. Upon completion of the intervention, participants completed a post-survey to assess the impact of the interventions.

The results indicated that managers who participate in employee engagement professional develop programs are able to effectively develop and implement action plans as employee engagement champions within the workplace. The post-survey scores for participants of this study did not result in improved levels of employee engagement during the four-month intervention cycle. The findings of the action research study will help develop and refine solutions to continue to improve employee engagement within higher education and other organizations.