The Office of Co-Curricular Programming has made efforts to bulk up teamwork and organizational skills on campus by implementing a personal assessment test for new students and staff.
Generated from 30 years of research in positive psychology, the Gallup Organization developed the StrengthsQuest program as a Web-based 170-question test designed to help determine a person’s top five strengths from of a comprehensive list of 34. The StrengthsQuest Web site suggests students use their strengths for improving grades, determining a career path and discovering how to be productive.
Loyola decided to participate after a Baylor University representative presented the idea to Loyola administration.
Assistant Director for Co-Curricular Programs Jessica Murphy took a strong interest in the program and introduced it to the campus. By finding personal strengths and identifying complementary strengths in others, Murphy said the program could help “build a community together and impact Loyola, residential life and New Orleans.”
Faculty and staff were required to take the test and attend a presentation for administering the test to freshmen.
“Krewe Leaders” for freshmen orientation were required to take StrengthsQuest as a part of their preparation in welcoming the class of 2012.
Maria Rossi, English and philosophy sophomore, describes her top strength, “connectedness,” as “the idea that we walk the same earth, that we’re all going through similar struggles in our lives. As a person with the strength of connectedness, I found it very easy to relate to fellow Krewe members and realize that we all share the same goals at Loyola.”
The participants of StrengthsQuest receive a T-shirt with a street graffiti design on the front and all 34 strengths listed on the back so students can circle their top five strengths. d’Auria Groux-Holt, mass communication junior, helped design posters advertising the Web site and Krewe leader badges displaying each person’s top five strengths. She wanted the design to be “fresh, clean and young to appeal to our generation.”
Organizers hope StrengthsQuest will help build a stronger community and that students and faculty will learn how to help one another improve not only in the classroom but also in the New Orleans community.
Jess Burrola can be reached at
