Monday, April 28, 2014

[545] ‘MTSU On the Record’ cites Greek organization impact on college student success


MURFREESBORO — As spring commencement draws near, the “MTSU On the Record” radio program will present a graduate-to-be with some interesting information about student success rates.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Wes Routon will be aired from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 28, and from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 4, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and www.wmot.org).

With Dr. Jay Walker of Niagara University, Routon conducted a study that found four-year graduation rates are notably higher for members of Greek organizations than nonmembers.

“Greek membership is found to increase the desire to pursue a graduate degree and increase the likelihood of graduating on time,” states the research.

“I think it has to do with the fact that they have an added incentive to stay enrolled every semester to continue being in the Greek organization,” Routon said. “They can’t take gap semesters or gap years like non-Greek students. And, also, a lot of these organizations have a mandatory minimum GPA their students have to keep to stay in the organization.”

The report, which was published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, is based on a survey of more than 103,000 students at 463 institutions of higher learning in the United States.

Routon, a Paris, Tenn., native who will graduate from MTSU with a doctorate in economics Saturday, May 10, is headed for a professorship at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Ga., in the fall.

To listen to previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to the “Audio Clips” archives at http://www.mtsunews.com.


For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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