This study investigated the methods of professional development used for institutional mission education, the role of the senior student affairs officer in delivering professional development, and the frequency of mission education that entry-level staff receives within the Division of Student Affairs at Catholic colleges and universities. The targeted population for the study encompassed senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) working in student affairs at Catholic colleges and universities within the United States.

The study found that prior knowledge and understanding of institutional mission is important for new entry-level student affairs practitioners to join the Catholic college or university student affairs community. The study also categorized common strategies of education for institutional mission into two subgroups: formal and collaborative. Finally, the research study found that there were no institutional characteristics that were significantly linked to institutional mission education training for new student affairs staff. However research results showed a slight difference in that institutions with Offices of Mission offered mission training with greater frequency than institutions without an Office of Mission.