Purpose development in the context of higher education

The aim of this study was to examine the development of purpose among college students, especially in relation to experiences typical of a liberal arts education. We surveyed 1,019 students in 11 U.S. colleges and universities at two-time points over three years. At Time 1,546 of the students were in their first year of college and 473 were in their second year or above. The survey assessed three dimensions of purpose, as well as learning experiences,
advising experiences, and course types. Repeated measures mixed-effects model analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between purpose and college experiences and changes in purpose from Time 1 to Time 2. Results indicate some college experiences predict modest changes in purpose during college. However, these limited effects suggest that colleges could do more to promote students’ purpose development during college and to sustain students’ purpose after graduation.