John Pryor Widespread Quotations

The Indian Ocean tsunami occurred during their high school senior year, and Hurricane Katrina hit the southern Gulf Region in August, as many students began college. This widespread rise in student attitudes reflecting social concerns and civic responsibility could be a reaction to the worst global and national disasters witnessed in their lifetime.

We typically observe steady trends in the data and do not see such widespread change across related survey items unless a major event occurs. This survey is evidence that last year's natural disasters impacted these freshmen in a significant way that we can continue to monitor. These are known as period effects, societal or world events that impact students during an impressionable time of their lives.