The Power of Kindness and Positivity in the College Environment

Abstract

Research has shown that positivity in school climates has a direct connection to academic success. Building high self-esteem and recognizing the value of kindness in terms of emotional learning are key factors for schools to prioritize when aiming to help students succeed (Gadermann & Reichil, 2016). Additionally, it has been shown that kindness and positivity naturally trigger upward spirals of improvement, and have been noted to promote better social interactions, relationships, and health. Positive emotions, such as happiness, also broaden thought-action repertoires, which in turn builds intellectual, physical, social, and psychological factors in all of us (Otake, 2006; Bhujade, 2017). Despite the power of positivity, we face such an abundance of negativity, both inside and outside the college environment. We are enduring an unsettling increase in bullying from peers and professors, suicide rates, and depressive episodes nationwide (Chapell, 2004; Koskie, 2018; Nutt, 2018). Throughout the course of the research listed above for this project, we have been able to start a student organization at Purdue University Northwest called S.H.I.N.E, which stands for Students Helping Ignite Needed Esteem. It is part of an ongoing mission to promote kindness, positivity, and academic success, learn more about how they are all connected, and create a more positive and welcoming university environment overall.