Perception of Participation in Entrepreneurial Extracurricular Activities among University Students: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47606/ACVEN/PH0575Keywords:
entrepreneurial extracurricular activities, university students, student perception;, phenomenology;, higher education.Abstract
The objective of the study was to understand the perception of participation in entrepreneurial extracurricular activities among university students of the Professional School of Administration at the National University of Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and a phenomenological design, as it aimed to interpret the experiences, meanings, and evaluations that students attribute to workshops, seminars, mentoring, networking, and extracurricular projects related to entrepreneurship. Eight students selected thru purposive sampling participated. The technique was the semi-structured interview and the analysis was conducted thru reflexive thematic coding. The results revealed six categories: the meaning of entrepreneurial extracurricular participation, motivations and barriers to participation, development of personal competencies, leadership and communication, networking and mentorship, and appreciation of university support. Students perceive these activities as opportunities to strengthen creativity, self-confidence, leadership, resilience, and employability; however, they also point out barriers such as lack of time, limited dissemination, low connection with real problems, and absence of follow-up. It is concluded that entrepreneurial extracurricular participation makes more sense when it is practical, flexible, institutionally recognized, and accompanied by teachers, mentors, and actors from the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lorenzo Rafael Valderrama-Plasencia , Cesar Hernan Norabuena-Mendoza , Eva Delfina Zarzos- Márquez , Carlos Humberto Chunga-Antón
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