How to Help Students Thrive Using CliftonStrengths for Students
Learn how other institutions are using CliftonStrengths for Students and get resources and advice for your own initiatives.
How One University Creates a Strengths-Based Campus
What Leaders Say About the Impact of CliftonStrengths on Their Students
"It has had a great impact, carrying on after graduation as well. The staff that uses it finds it so helpful in organizing and maximizing student groups. Watching the development and transformation of the students to become more than they ever imagined in a productive way is fabulous. Can't say enough good about CliftonStrengths."
"CliftonStrengths has had a major impact on our campus and is currently being utilized in various aspects of student affairs. … As of now the majority of our incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to take the CliftonStrengths assessment. We are constantly tailoring our programming to include CliftonStrengths."
"It really helps students find their path in life, and their career. It also helps our departments form better teams."
"Many of my students contact me years later and tell me how it has benefited them professionally and personally."
"CliftonStrengths has helped individuals understand their own power and abilities and also has bridged gaps in understanding how others work and how they can positively impact work in a different way."
"We embrace the CliftonStrengths program as a foundation for our career advising. We assist students to build on their CliftonStrengths when creating a vision for their lives and careers."
"We have between 50-75% of people on our campus who know their CliftonStrengths. It has become a common language, from our Vice-Chancellor to our support staff to our students to our faculty. We use them often! So grateful for CliftonStrengths language."
"I have heard from many students that they have grown in how they understand themselves and others, that it has given clarity on their purpose and strengthened their ability to empathize and understand others. Studying this content has been life-changing for many of these students."
"It has a tremendous impact on our students as they transform throughout their college career. Students often refer to their CliftonStrengths themes when running for student organization positions and interviewing for campus jobs."
"I would say that it has helped build confidence in students and provide shared language for discussing group activities, career pursuits, and leadership."
CliftonStrengths for Students Courses
CliftonStrengths in Higher Education
Learn how schools are helping students thrive using CliftonStrengths
Kansas State University
Watch members of the Kansas State University campus community talk about how they help their school bring the power of CliftonStrengths to every corner of campus.
Learn MoreUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri has been using CliftonStrengths for 10 years, starting with a few hundred people taking the CliftonStrengths assessment in a career exploration class in 2006. Today, between 4,500 and 5,000 students, faculty and staff use CliftonStrengths every year.
Learn MoreUniversity of Michigan Ross School of Business
How the University of Michigan Ross School of Business partnered with Gallup to implement a comprehensive approach to building positive leaders using the CliftonStrengths assessment and professional development programs.
Learn MoreBentley University
Read this case study about how Bentley University uses CliftonStrengths in career services and other departments throughout the school to help students discover, develop and apply their natural strengths -- in and out of the classroom.
Learn MoreUniversity of Southern Maine
The University of Southern Maine first introduced CliftonStrengths to its students, faculty and staff in 2012 as one of several initiatives intended to increase first-year students' retention rates by transforming USM into a strengths-based culture.
Learn MoreUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln
Every fall, first-year students in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln identify their strengths, participate in group activities and learn from guest speakers who explain how their strengths help them in their respective fields. Student-to-student coaching plays a significant role in the program's success.
Learn MoreUniversity of Colorado
"Now, every year, 6,000 new students will learn their strengths and how to use them productively to improve well-being and engagement. And 1,000 staff and faculty members in the region -- at CU-Boulder and other campuses -- are involved in learning about strengths."
Learn MoreUniversity of Iowa
Incoming University of Iowa students to the class of 2020 have taken the CliftonStrengths assessment as part of a new initiative called Be Better@Iowa. According to the school, the initiative "will position the UI as the university that creates leaders who leverage their strengths, leadership knowledge, and leadership skills to contribute to their communities now and in the future."
Learn MoreUniversity of Chicago
"The use of [CliftonStrengths] will allow us to begin meeting our goals of providing skill development to the graduate and undergraduate community by empowering our students to invest in their personal success through their engagement with the University of Chicago."
Learn MoreGeorge Mason University Well-Being University Initiative
George Mason adopted a new strategic plan to become the first certified Well-Being University in the world.
Learn MoreResources to Help Your School Succeed.
For help redeeming your CliftonStrengths access code, read this quick tutorial.
For technical and administrative help with your school's CliftonStrengths, visit our Help Center.
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CliftonStrengths Resources and Activities
Helpful tools and techniques to get the most from CliftonStrengths
How to Redeem Your CliftonStrengths for Students Access Code
Instructions for using an access code to complete the CliftonStrengths assessment and unlock your results and other resources.
All 34 CliftonStrengths Theme Descriptions
Definitions and videos describing all 34 of the CliftonStrengths themes.
CliftonStrengths Theme Quick Reference Card
Read the short definitions of each of the 34 CliftonStrengths themes.
Getting the Most Out of Your CliftonStrengths Report
Use this worksheet to further your understanding of your assessment results.
Your Role and Your Signature Themes
Use this worksheet to effectively fulfill the requirements of your role by doing what you naturally do best.
My CliftonStrengths and How I Use Them
Use this worksheet to consider how your Signature Themes empower you to succeed.
Picture of Excellence
Use this worksheet to understand CliftonStrengths through the lens of excellence.
Building CliftonStrengths
Use this worksheet to understand how talents, skills and knowledge coalesce to create strengths.
Five Clues to Talent
Use this worksheet to consider how your natural interests and abilities can help you better understand your talents.
Scavenger Hunt
Use this worksheet to further your understanding of CliftonStrengths that don't appear in your own Signature Themes.
CliftonStrengths Research and Reports
The science behind the power of CliftonStrengths
The Clifton StrengthsFinder® and Student Development
A summary and critique of existing strengths-based educational research using the Clifton StrengthsFinder.
DownloadCliftonStrengths in Higher Education Theme Frequency Report
A snapshot of the frequency of CliftonStrengths Signature Themes among users in Higher Education (updated November 2016).
Download2015 Strengths Meta-Analysis
Based on a study of more than 1 million individuals and almost 50,000 business units, this report demonstrates the powerful connections between strengths development and business performance.
DownloadClifton StrengthsFinder® 2.0 Technical Report -- 2014 Update
A summary of reliability and validity evidence gathered to date, as well as the primary application of the Clifton StrengthsFinder as the evaluation that initiates a strengths-based development process in work and academic settings.
DownloadTechnical Report on the Clifton StrengthsFinder® With College Students
Report on the reliability, validity, and use of the Clifton StrengthsFinder instrument.
DownloadDeveloping Students to Be Their Best
How leaders can create an environment that fosters their colleagues and students to also effectively discover, develop and apply their strengths.
ReadGallup-Purdue Index 2015 Report
Examine the link between key college experiences and positive alumni outcomes, based on interviews with more than 30,000 graduates.
DownloadGallup-Purdue Index 2014 Report
The inaugural report featuring groundbreaking research on the degree to which graduates have great jobs and lead great lives.
DownloadCliftonStrengths in Action
Learn more about the power of strengths-based development
How You Can Provide Actionable Touchpoints to Develop Students with CliftonStrengths
Watch Christina Cox-Leisinger, assistant vice president for student enrollment, engagement and success at West Texas A&M University develops students using CliftonStrengths by providing actionable touchpoints.
WatchWatch How a Career Services Director Values a Strengths-Based Approach Using CliftonStrengths
Learn how a students strengths development coordinator at DeVry University helps students prepare for the workforce with intentional conversations about CliftonStrengths themes.
WatchWatch How One Campus Program Uses CliftonStrengths to Prepare Students for Their Careers
Learn how a students strengths development coordinator at Kalamazoo Valley Community College helps students prepare for the workforce by focusing on their CliftonStrengths daily.
WatchWatch How One Campus Program Uses CliftonStrengths to Help Students Thrive
Discover how the Clifton Strengths Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln helps hundreds of first-year students thrive by understanding the magic of CliftonStrengths.
WatchHow One Graduate Made the Leap From College to Career With CliftonStrengths
Learn how Tarleton State's Abbie Weiss uses CliftonStrengths for Students with the students she works with, and why she recommends the book for anyone embarking on their postsecondary education and the start of their chosen career.
ReadSnapshot: CliftonStrengths Theme Frequencies in Higher Education
Jim Asplund, chief scientist, strengths-based development and performance impact consulting at Gallup, explains the nuances of looking at the Signature Themes of 2,817,203 CliftonStrengths users in Higher Education.
ReadGlobal Study: ROI for Strengths-Based Development
"In working with hundreds of organizations, Gallup uncovered the characteristics common to companies that accomplished the most with their strengths interventions ... These companies often work toward creating a strengths-based culture using seven strategies."
Read at Gallup.ComHow Employees' Strengths Make Your Company Stronger
"Investing in and focusing on employees' talents boosts employee and customer engagement, according to Gallup's research, leading to higher levels of performance, profitability, productivity, and greater earnings per share for businesses."
Read at Gallup.ComStrengths-Based Employee Development: The Business Results
"For organizations seeking to improve performance on crucial business outcomes, strengths-based development is a proven solution. To boost their business, leaders need to start developing people based on what is right with them."
Read at Gallup.ComThe Two Most Important Questions for Graduates
When it comes to advice for recent college graduates, Gallup research offers some very powerful and clear guidance.
Read at Gallup.ComEmployees Who Use Their Strengths Outperform Those Who Don't
This is why it's worth it -- even in the face of weakness-focused orthodox management -- to build a strengths-based culture.
Read at Gallup.ComLegacy StrengthsQuest Resources
Develop Engaged & Thriving Students Using CliftonStrengths.
Are you a campus leader looking to engage, energize and retain students? Complete the form below to learn how to bring the transformative power of a strengths-based learning environment to your school. A Gallup expert will contact you.