The impact of appreciative advising on a first-year, faith-based leadership learning community.

The study investigated the impact of a first-year, faith-based leadership learning community in a Catholic, urban and northeastern institution of higher education. The research assessed the impact of the organizational model of appreciative advising, utilized as the framework for the curriculum of this first-year program. Participants included fifty-five Catholic students representing samples of a first-year, faith-based leadership learning community, faith-engaged students and non-faith engaged students. The Appreciative Advising Inventory (AAI) was utilized for the three groups of participants to assess the impact of appreciative advising. Grounded theory was also utilized as a qualitative methodology to assess the impact of appreciative advising in the leadership learning community. The findings indicated that the appreciative advising framework had an impact on the students’ first year experience and self-identification of assets. Students also recognized the importance of appreciative advising in their first year development.