In Our Pop Culture Era: Leveraging Pop Culture for Student Engagement and Relationship Building in Student Affairs
About the Session
Higher education is an ever-evolving landscape of student diversity and cultural influences. Student engagement on college campuses has seen a dramatic shift during the COVID-19 global pandemic, forcing many institutions to rethink the work done to engage students. The advancement of technology and social media challenges traditional engagement strategies as there is a rapid change of pace in student preferences. Student affairs professionals are faced with a pressing question: how can they effectively engage and build meaningful relationships with students in a rapidly changing cultural context?
This workshop addresses this problem by highlighting the importance of understanding pop culture. Pop culture is not merely about entertainment but can be a profound reflection of students' values, identities, connections, and more. It can also highlight the ways in which students communicate and express themselves. Ignoring or misunderstanding this facet of student life can result in a disconnect between professionals and the students they strive to serve. This workshop closes this disconnect by demonstrating that pop culture can be a powerful tool for understanding college students, enhancing their engagement, and building meaningful relationships with students.
Session III, Price Lake, Room 201A, PSU
Learning Outcomes
- Participants will understand the characteristics of Generation Z/current college students and the role pop culture plays in their student experience.
- Participants will understand the purpose and value of maintaining pop-culture knowledge in order to enhance student engagement and create meaningful connections.
- Participants will recognize and classify current and relevant elements of pop culture, including trends, media, and cultural references and develop strategies to incorporate these elements into their work.
- Participants will engage in self-reflection to assess their own pop culture knowledge and develop plans for ongoing development in this area.
