Student Experience Activation - PAC Shakespeare Performances

Submitted by Sharon Lind on
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What is the Purpose of the Assessment?

The purpose of this assessment is to increase student engagement while evaluating the effect of the engagement strategy. 

Describe the necessity for this assessment

In an effort to increase the Noel Levitz survey response that indicated 71% of students feel a sense of belonging here, the goal is to make students aware of the free campus resources to help them connect to the college that they may not have been aware of before. 

Describe how the practice will be implemented

In collaboration with the Student Experience Committee, Arts and Composition Division, the Performing Arts Center, and Career and Transfer Center, Peer Leaders engaged with 30 students on campus and asked multiple choice questions about Shakespeare plays. There was one clear correct response of the three options provided. These questions relate to the Arts and Composition Division’s production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare–abridged that ran on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between November 13-22, 2025. 

Additionally, the Arts and Composition Faculty Chair met with the theater instructor at Copper Canyon High School to issue an additional 20 tickets with “Copper Canyon” listed on the back.

This effort serves multiple goals: 1) provides an opportunity for students to connect and engage with Peer Leaders, 2) increases student awareness that Arts and Composition Division performances are available and free, 3) promotes performances to the EMCC population to increase attendance, and 4) promotes the performance to community members and prospective EMCC students.   

While the performances are free, the EMCC students who engaged with the Peer Leaders were issued a VIP ticket that could be redeemed at the PAC’s concession stand prior to the show. The Copper Canyon students received their tickets from their instructor. The concession bag contained a bag of popcorn, a piece of chocolate, and a bottle of water. The concession bag components were purchased and created with the support of the Arts and Composition Division.

A member of the Student Experience Committee was stationed at the concession stand 30 minutes prior to the show opening and 15 minutes after the show began, ready to hand out concession bags to those with tickets. Two acrylic signs were positioned at the concession area so attendees knew to redeem tickets there. For EMCC students, a portion of the ticket was ripped off, and the performance date and time was written on the back for tracking. For Copper Canyon students, the entire ticket was taken for tracking purposes with the performance date and time written on the back. 

Interpret, compare, and describe the results

Of the 50 distributed tickets (30 to EMCC students and 20 to Copper Canyon high school students), 5 tickets were redeemed for a 10% rate of return: 4 from Copper Canyon (2 for Thursday night, November 20, and 2 for Saturday night, November 22) and 1 from EMCC for the Friday matinee on November 14. 

After analyzing, and reflecting on the outcome, what are the next steps?

Through this experience, the engagement team identified several opportunities to strengthen future strategies. First, we plan to collect MEIDs from EMCC students at the point of ticket distribution and record the MEID directly on the ticket, as well as on our internal recording document. This practice will enable the Student Experience Committee (SEC) to send targeted follow-up surveys that gather information such as students’ likelihood of attending, their preferred show date, and their interest in future events like The Nutcracker, which is also free for students. Because the primary objective is to increase engagement, it is valuable to understand whether students ultimately return for additional campus events.

Capturing MEIDs also provides operational benefits. If a student indicates low likelihood of attending, the ticket can be reallocated to maximize attendance. Additionally, identifying which performance students plan to attend allows more accurate staffing and preparation at the concession stand. When paired with redemption data, including show date and time, the information can help determine which performance times draw the most interest and inform future scheduling.

With support from an SEC funding proposal or continued backing from the Arts and Composition Division, additional concession bags could be produced and distributed. EMCC instructors could receive a set number of tickets labeled with their names, enabling tracking of return rates by class or instructor. Similarly, dual-enrollment theater instructors at Copper Canyon and Westview High Schools could receive tickets marked by school name to help evaluate outreach effectiveness with prospective students.

Finally, for EMCC students receiving a concession ticket, a “bring a friend” incentive could be introduced, allowing them to receive an additional goodie bag. This option could be promoted in the follow-up survey to gauge interest and ensure adequate preparation of concession materials.

Abstract

This assessment examined the impact of a targeted engagement strategy designed to increase students’ sense of belonging and awareness of free campus resources at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC). Motivated by Noel Levitz survey results showing that only 71% of students felt a sense of belonging, this student activation promoted Arts and Composition Division’s production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare – abridged (November 13–22, 2025).

In collaboration with the Student Experience Committee, Arts and Composition Division, Performing Arts Center (PAC), Career and Transfer Center’s Peer Leaders, 30 EMCC students were engaged through on-campus Shakespeare trivia. Participants received free VIP tickets redeemable for concession bags created by the Arts and Composition Division. An additional 20 tickets were distributed to Copper Canyon High School students through their theater instructor. A Student Experience Committee member operated the concession stand during performances to track attendance and redemption.

Of the 50 total tickets distributed, 5 were redeemed, yielding a 10% return rate. Redemptions included 4 Copper Canyon students and 1 EMCC student. While redemptions reflected a small turnout, the initiative successfully facilitated Peer Leader interaction, increased visibility of free programming, and expanded community outreach.

If the engagement strategy continues, the next steps include gathering MEIDs with EMCC ticket distribution to enable follow-up assessment surveys and to promote future events. Additional strategies may involve ticket distribution through additional dual-enrollment theater course partners, targeted allocations to specific instructors, and optional incentives such as “bring a friend” rewards to enhance turnout and deepen student involvement.

 

-Additional Contributors: Career and Transfer Center - Peer Leaders and Arts and Composition Division

Division/Department
Administration
Completed Full Cycle
Yes