The Influence of University Recreation Centers on Student Return and Retention during COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university and college student enrollment has decreased by slightly more than 5% from fall 2019 to the present. While previous studies have revealed that student involvement in recreation center activities increases return and retention at college campuses, are these results still true during the COVID-19 pandemic? The results indicated that students agreed they returned and planned to remain at the university due to a sense of belonging created from involvement in recreation center activities. The results also revealed significant relationships between underclassmen and a sense of belonging from participating in recreation center activities. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that universities may lose between $17-$30 billion by 2025. From an applied viewpoint, the results offer information for university administrators to better understand how a student recreation center may attract and retain students during this unstable time in the United States higher education.