Participating in internships and community service projects and interacting with people from different social, cultural, and economic backgrounds are just a few ways students can enrich their educational experience. While our freshmen are on par with students at other baccalaureate granting colleges, Hampden-Sydney College seniors rate considerably higher than seniors at those schools. This shows how our programs provide a multitude of opportunities for our students to learn about communities and cultures other than their own.

NSSE Enriching EducationalExperiences

Summary:  With respect to their participation in enriching educational experiences, first-year Hampden-Sydney students are on par with students at other baccalaureate granting colleges, but ahead of the population of NSSE respondent schools. However, there are substantial and statistically significant differences between seniors at Hampden-Sydney and those from the other comparison groups, with the Hampden-Sydney seniors taking advantage of enriching educational experiences at levels far above the levels reported by other students.

Return to NSSE page

Enriching Educational Experiences survey

NSSE survey items about Enriching Educational Experiences:

  • Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, publications, student government, sports, etc.)
  • Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment.
  • Community service or volunteer work.
  • Foreign language coursework and study abroad.
  • Independent study or self-designed major.
  • Culminating senior experience (capstone course, senior project or thesis, comprehensive exam, etc.)
  • Serious conversations with students of different religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values.
  • Serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity.
  • Using electronic technology to discuss or complete an assignment.
  • Campus environment encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds.
  • Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together.