Abstract
Student involvement is the amount of physical energy that a student puts into a given activity (Astin, 1999). Campus engagement assists students in making new connections and contributes to their sense of community and institutional commitment (Astin, 1993, 1999; Tinto, 1999, 2012). On large commuter campuses, students may struggle with identifying opportunities for engagement as they often face external demands in regards to work, family, and social obligations. Students use social networking sites to connect online and build virtual communities where they can engage with each other and the university on their own time (Junco, 2014). Because peer relationship development is so crucial to a student’s sense of community, online social networking sites offer a way to connect students virtually and enhance their sense of belonging on campus. The purpose of this study was to determine how a first year student’s use of social networking sites affected their feeling of social connectedness and engagement on campus. By better understanding how these sites may contribute to feelings of social connectedness on campus, institutions can look to find new and innovative ways to adopt and utilize social networking sites to assist with student retention initiatives. The quantitative study took place at a large public institution located in Northern California. The sample population was comprised of first year students enrolled in the First Year Experience seminar program. A one-time paper survey included questions focusing on a student’s frequency of internet usage, social networking site preferences and motivations, and peer relationships and engagement on campus. The sample for this study included 91 first year undergraduate students. Findings from the study showed that participants primarily use Facebook and Instagram for online social networking. Students prefer to track what their peers are up to rather than post regular updates about themselves. They agree that these sites give them the opportunity to stay connected with people who they are unable to see face-toface, especially their friends from high school. The study showed that participants felt connected to their peers and a sense of community at the University. One recommendation for future studies is to track students throughout their time at college to see if their online social networking site usage and relationships shift as they meet and engage with more students on campus. Finally, campuses can look to utilize social networking sites in new ways to promote engagement opportunities and build campus community online.