Student Learning and Growth Resulting from Service as an Intramural Official

Service as an intramural official is a common experience for many college students. This kind of experience is thought to contribute to the growth and development of college students since it involves them in a meaningful way in the life of the campus. Such involvement frequently is advocated in the literature as a means of providing for a more robust student experience, thereby improving persistence and retention for students as well as adding a richness to their experience. This study was undertaken to determine if service as an intramural official contributed to student growth and development. To date, research on this topic appears to be nonexistent.

A qualitative study involving four sites was undertaken to learn more about how intramural officials evaluated their experiences. The sites included Drake University, Grinnel College, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. Student officials were interviewed at each site. A draft report was prepared, then reviewed by individuals who worked with the intramural programs at these institutions. After the reaction, a final report was prepared.

The students found their experiences to be very important in their growth and development. While typically they began their work as officials for economic reasons or to stay close to sports, they reported that they developed a variety of skills from this experience, including improving their communication skills, becoming more self-confident and self-reliant, working better as a member of a team, and understanding how to handle difficult situations more effectively. For some, they decided to pursue officiating after graduation from college, either on a part-time basis or, in a few cases, in professional sports.

While the results of qualitative studies generally are not transferable, the implications of this study for intramural supervisors are powerful. Experience as an intramural official, as famed by this study, can be used as a recruitment tool in the future since the experience appears to be so positive. This study also can be used to demonstrate how intramural sports programs contribute to the educational mission of the campus.