College students and grit: The lived experience of well-being and retention

Abstract

This dissertation in practice (DIP) is a qualitative study to explore college students’ understanding and lived experience of grit; as well as the role that grit plays in their persistence in higher education and overall well-being. A diverse sample of 16 undergraduate students at a private Jesuit university located in the Midwest were interviewed. The interviews took place over Zoom and were recorded for transcription purposes. From the interviews, five main themes emerged: the presence of a trusted mentor, the preference for physical stress over emotional stress, motivation identified in external influences, a decline in mental well-being during extreme stress, and an increase in gratitude during times of extreme stress. Based on the students’ self-described experiences with grit in their daily lives, a student development program was created that could be implemented at the beginning of students’ college life cycle. The student development training program will require institutional commitment, time, and resources. However, the results of this study emphasize the importance of developing grit behavior. Developing gritty college students may positively impact college persistence, and student well-being. A student development program based on strengthening grit would serve to benefit the supporting institutions and the students.

Keywords: grit, college, development, persistence, well-being, student success