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Research Articles

Vol. 30 No. 1 (2026)

Can Participation in a University Service-Learning Course Increase Progress Toward Degree and Graduation Rates for Undergraduate Students?

  • Shelley A. Haddock
  • Samantha LeBouef
  • Megan J. Moran
  • Heather Novak
  • Jen Krafchick
  • Toni S. Zimmerman
  • Lindsey M. Weiler
Submitted
February 1, 2023
Published
2026-04-08

Abstract

As universities confront the reality that students are not equally served by higher education, they are increasingly incorporating evidence-based practices to support individuals facing systemic, institutional, and economic barriers. Service-learning courses support academic and socioemotional outcomes for university students; however, less is known about the degree to which they may improve attainment for historically underserved students. This study examined the association between participation in a service-learning course, Campus Connections (CC), and undergraduate student success. Propensity score matching was used to create relatively comparable groups of undergraduates who participated in the CC course and those who did not. Results indicated that CC participation was associated with higher levels of student success (e.g., GPA, degree progress) and suggested an even stronger association for structurally underserved student populations (i.e., students with first generation status, Pell grant status, and/or racially minoritized identity). Implications for service-learning and future research directions are considered.