Generativity in College Students: Comparing and Explaining the Impact of Mentoring

Authors

Lindsay J. Hastings, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
James V. Griesen, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
Richard E. Hoover, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
John W. Creswell, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Larry L. Dlugosh, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

10-2015

Citation

Journal of College Student Development, Volume 56, Number 7, October 2015, pp. 651-669

Comments

Copyright 2015 Johns Hopkins University Press.

Abstract

Preparing college students to be active contributors to the next generation is an important function of higher education. This assumption about generativity forms a cornerstone in this mixed methods study that examined generativity levels among 273 college students at a 4-year public university. MANCOVA results indicated that college students who mentor demonstrated significantly higher generativity than nonmentoring students. Interviews with 9 mentoring students revealed that, although a “seed of generativity” may have already been planted, their mentoring experience served as a “lab” for learning how to be generative. The integrated findings offer important contributions relative to leadership and social responsibility.