Professors Drs. Sarath Nonis, Gail Hudson and doctoral student and instructor Melodie Philhours developed a formula that may help to predict a student’s possible success level while in college, as well as a tool that will help faculty members to better direct students.

By using a student’s ACT score, as well as non-ability levels such as measuring a student’s motivation and optimism level, Nonis said he can help students to take more control of their situations.

"Based on the three numbers, I can predict a student’s grade point average accurately about 75 percent of the time and place them in certain categories," Nonis explained. "When a student is not doing well, and the student tries to put the responsibility on the instructor, I can look at their information and help them to take more control of their situation and often find that the problem is possibly somewhere else, outside of the classroom.

"I found ACT scores were a significant indicator of their future performance. But more importantly, their level of motivation and optimism was also extremely important."

Nonis, who received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree in marketing from the University of North Texas, explained that many of the students polled were first-generation college students and that a person’s optimism and motivation does play a very crucial role in their success.

The three faculty members poll their students at the beginning of each semester to measure all three variables. By gathering data from their ASU students, as well from the Chronicle of Higher Education and sources on the Internet, Nonis, Hudson and Philhours were able to write their article, "Changes in college students composition: an implication for marketing education."

"The practicality of this research interests me," Philhours said. "This study provides a basis for the development of programs to truly help students succeed academically. By identifying non-academic factors related to academic success, students, advisors and faculty can work together to find ways to strengthen those attributes to help students succeed."

Philhours has been on faculty with ASU for 18 years, and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ASU. She currently is enrolled in the educational leadership program at the university. Her thoughts were echoed by long-time colleague Hudson.

"Understanding what motivates and encourages student learning is vital to my student's success as well as my own. As marketing professors, we teach our students that the better we know our customers, the better able we will be as an organization to provide the product or service that best meets their needs," said Hudson, who received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, her master’s degree from ASU, and her doctorate from the University of Alabama.

"While I don't expect my students to define the body of knowledge that best suits an Intro to Marketing class, I do expect that they need different kinds of stimuli to help them learn that content. My job is to understand those needs and try to provide for them. Better understanding students will help anyone do a better job in the classroom."

Nonis said most instructors expect their students to be highly motivated and ready to take things seriously when they come to college, when often that is not the case.

"The Chronicle of Higher Education often polls incoming freshmen, and one question typically asked is the ‘one most important reason to come to college.’ In 1990, 20% of those freshmen answered ‘to get out of home,’ and in 2000, 27% gave the same response. That response has risen seven percentage points in 10 years, an indicator that the trend is increasing and some students are coming to school for the wrong reason."

Although the results may seem negative, Nonis and his colleagues feel there is something that can be done.

"I think there is something we can do about it. Giving back the responsibility to the student and letting them know they have control of their life. Many times when a student is not doing well in college, they are placed on academic suspension and we require them to take remedial classes. But maybe that’s not where the problem lies.

"By measuring the student’s ability and other variables such as motivation and optimism, we can give the numbers to the students and tell them where they are. Then, when the student comes to see the instructor seeking any kind of assistance as to why he or she may not be doing well in class, the professor will have more information to help the student," Nonis explained. "I’ve taught for 12 years, and if a student is not doing well in class, they first put the blame on the college or instructor, never looking at themselves. We like to put the responsibility back with the student and help them to succeed."

The faculty members were recognized at the Society for Marketing Advances 40^th annual meeting in St. Pete’s Beach, Fla., recently. Their paper received the "Best Paper in the Marketing Education Track" and well as the "Best Overall Paper in the Conference."

The second award is very important because, as Nonis explained, never before has a marketing paper focused on education won such an award. Typically award-winners focus on production, markets or international issues.

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