Co-Curricular Experiences And Career Readiness: A Narrative Inquiry Of Bachelor's Degree Graduate Experiences
Colleges are expected to graduate students who are both academically prepared and professionally ready. Although co-curricular involvement has been known to foster leadership learning, little research has explored how graduates themselves view these experiences and their career relevance. Prior studies emphasized that the depth and quality of involvement are more important than participation alone (Astin, 1999; Foreman & Retallick, 2013; Seemiller, 2018). This study explored how recent bachelor’s degree graduates (n = 5, 2018–2021) perceived the role of co-curricular involvement in developing leadership competencies and applying them in early careers. Guided by Astin’s (1999) student involvement theory and Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional framework, a qualitative narrative inquiry was employed in which participants shared stories through semi-structured interviews that were restoried and analyzed with descriptive and in vivo codes. Findings revealed that meaningful leadership competency growth stemmed from the depth and intensity of engagement, supported by mentorship, institutional structures, and peer networks. Participants emphasized transferable skills—communication, collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking—as central to career readiness. This study’s findings highlighted the need for intentionally designed co-curricular opportunities that align student involvement with leadership competency education and workforce preparation.
co-curricular involvement, leadership competencies, career readiness, student involvement theory, narrative inquiry, Education
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