Institutional Outcomes of Student-Athlete Engagement in Athletics Department-Sponsored Community Service

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how involvement in athletic department sponsored community service affected intercollegiate student-athletes' attachment, intent to donate money, and likelihood of speaking positively about the department. Using a purposeful sample, questionnaires were distributed to former student-athletes with a total of 80 usable questionnaires being returned. The instrument specifically measured the quality of the relationship between the former student-athlete and athletic department (i.e., perceived organizational support), level of engagement in community service initiatives, intent to donate, and word of mouth promotion. Analysis of variance established those former student-athletes who planned community service initiatives had a significantly higher level of perceived organizational support than those who just attended and those who did not participate in any manner. Furthermore, regression analysis established the higher former student-athlete's level of perceived organizational support the greater their intent to donate money back to the athletic department and speak positively about it. Thus, athletic departments wanting to build high quality relationships with their student-athletes and benefit long term, should provide student-athletes the opportunity to be actively involved in planning community service initiatives.

Keywords:

• corporate social responsibility
• social exchange theory
• student-athletes

Additional information

Notes on contributors

W. Andrew Czekanski

W. Andrew Czekanski is an Assistant Professor of Recreation and Sport Management in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University. His primary research interests lie in the general area of organizational behavior and the Social Exchange Theory. Dr. Czekanski completed his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in 2012.

Lauren E. Brown

Lauren E. Brown is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management in the Division of Business at DeSales University. Her primary research interests lie in the general area of organization behavior and corporate social responsibility. Dr. Brown completed her Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in 2012.

Correspondence to: Lauren E. Brown, Sport Management, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034, USA. Email: [email protected]