Date Approved
3-30-2026
Embargo Period
3-29-2028
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
College of Education
Advisor
Ane Johnson, Ph.D
Committee Member 1
Sarah, Ferguson, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Penny McPherson-Myers, Ed.D.
Keywords
case study research;civic engagement;commuter students;mixed methods research;student belonging;student engagement
Disciplines
Education | Educational Administration and Supervision | Higher Education Administration
Abstract
This mixed methods case study explores how commuter students come to understand their own civic engagement, and how commuters who demonstrate a high level of engagement come to find their place within the campus community at one mid-sized, public, residential university. Commuter students at residential institutions remain an under-served and misunderstood population, even as they account for the majority of college students nationally. By emphasizing civic engagement, student affairs professionals can create a campus that serves this population more effectively. The findings revealed the opportunities for institutions to engage commuter students by bridging the gap between a student’s home and campus communities to better contextualize developmental experiences. Additionally, the findings reinforce the need for civic engagement to remain central to student affairs practice within already existing transformational leadership development models. This research addresses the gap in scholarship at the intersection of undergraduate commuter students and civic engagement as an outcome and as a framework for development, as well as the emphasis of civic engagement as a pathway to grow commuter student sense of belonging within campus communities.
Recommended Citation
Kuski, Charles Leo, "Bridging Communities: A Mixed Methods Case Study of Commuter Student Civic Engagement at Goldfinch University" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 3506.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3506
