Abstract
This phenomenological study explored community college students’ perspectives on the impact of student-faculty interactions on their development of competence and of purpose (Chickering & Reisser, 1993). The study was conducted at one mid-size campus of a large, predominantly Hispanic-serving community college in Southeastern Florida, where most students are first generation college students. A total of eight student volunteers engaged in one-on-one interviews designed to understand how community college students experienced the influence and effects of student-faculty relationships on the development of (1) their competence and (2) their purpose. Through a combination of coding methods, 13 meaningful categories describing the phenomenon were derived. Four themes emerged from deeper analysis and consolidation of the categories, to include: (1) the impact of faculty availability coupled with genuine care on students’ development of competence and of purpose; (2) the value of academic rigor combined with faculty teaching excellence in the development of students’ competence and improved confidence; (3) the motivational effect of faculty success stories and student involvement in faculty initiatives on the development of students’ purpose and self-esteem; and (4) the role of faculty in student development through transitions and in overcoming fear. Possible implications of the study findings for community college faculty and administration are discussed.