A Qualitative Study: the Experiences of Non-traditional Students Utilizing Student Support Services

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of student support services on the engagement and satisfaction of undergraduate non-traditional students at Kansas State University. For the purposes of this study, student support services were defined as non-academic departments or offices providing support services to students. Following the completion of in-depth interviews with non-traditional students, and student support staff the researcher identified the emergence of six themes related to the engagement and satisfaction of non-traditional students: (1) commitment - perceptions of efforts to engage and satisfy students through university resources, (2) expectations - demonstration of investment and validation of their presence on campus by communicating clear expectations, (3) support - provision of support services that promote student success (4) involvement - perceptions of the relationship between student and support staff and academic and social integration, (5) learning - efforts to enhance the learning experiences of non-traditional students, (6) feedback ? gathering of suggestions for improvement to the non-traditional student experience.