Social Supports for Multilingual Students in the University Setting

Research suggests that students’ social engagement, both on and off campus, plays a significant role in their academic performance. This research has been conducted in various settings including institutionally provided social programs (Browne, M. N., & Minnick, K. J., 2005), student organizations (Nunan, D., 1992), as well as interpersonal relationships (Cumming, A. H., 2006). These social supports are especially essential for multilingual students who potentially lack some of the interconnecting support networks of students raised in the United States in English speaking households. Despite the established connection between social engagement and academic performance, social programs on campus are often under-utilized. This study found that students participating in the Student Success Program (SSP) at Boise State University ranked the social aspects of the program significantly lower than the academic aspects, in terms of the positive impact on their academic performance. These findings may help to account for the lower utilization of the social support services of the SSP, and potentially, other programs offering social supports across campus.