High-impact practices (HIPs) are well-documented experiences that deepen engagement and go beyond traditional markers of success for college students. First-generation college students (FGCS) may even see greater gains in participation than their continuing-generation counterparts. Since universities historically retain FGCS at lower rates, this…

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine how the implementation of a near-peer leadership framework for student employee leaders, referred to as Operations Leads (OLs) in my practice as the manager of the Operations area at a university student recreation center, influences the supervisory and leadership ability of the student…

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of burnout and compassion fatigue among postsecondary undergraduate student leaders working in supportive, helping roles at a small liberal arts college, and to identify mitigation and coping strategies for these phenomena at both the individual and organization level. Guided by social…

The nurturance and development of the whole person should be fundamental to the institutional and educational goals of colleges and universities across the United States. However, for reasons that continue to elude many institutions, freshmen continue to struggle with successful transition to the world of academia otherwise known as the…

This action research project centers the narratives of women and nonbinary students of color as they navigate leadership roles within student government at Ivy League institutions. The overarching aim of the project is to develop an understanding of the barriers to participation for women and nonbinary students of color and collaboratively…

Student activists have been an historic driver of higher education social justice reform. While this form of leadership is central to improving equity outcomes in higher education, scholars and practitioners often view organizational change as a top-down process centering senior administrators, staff, and faculty. Empowering student activists as…

Since public schools began in the United States, there has been an academic gap between different groups of people. In normal face-to-face situations, the academic gap is not closing. In March 2020, schools closed worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to emergency remote teaching. Because of the uncertainty of the pandemic, educators,…

The purpose of this study was to understand and perceive how student leaders, and specifically student body presidents, navigated social power and used influence with institutional leaders in the higher education decision-making environment to achieve the goals and objectives of their presidencies. The foundational texts of higher education…

This qualitative study, "An Exploration of the Institutional Factors that Influence the Engagement of Transgender College Students", investigates the ways in which four transgender college students at a private institution in Louisville, KY engage with their campus, specifically in the areas of academic challenge, campus environment, and…

This study contributes to the description and meaning of student activism within the context of Christian college environments and cultures, and is interpreted through the sociological concept of symbolic interactionism. The purpose of this study is to help fill the void in the literature on student activism at Christian colleges and universities,…

This study sought to understand the process by which Black undergraduate men on predominately White college campuses become leaders of predominately White organizations. Using the theoretical frameworks of Black and White racial identity development (Helms, 1990), Critical Race Theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001), and Wijeyesinghe's (2001)…

The findings from this study were that the Native student leaders in Native student organization (NSO) have been impacted by their experiences in ways that were rewarding, supportive and increased participation. The benefits found from being in a NSO included communicating and networking, building a community on campus, representing Native…

Traditionally, research on student leadership development has been exclusive and focused primarily on the experiences of White, male undergraduate student leaders. Therefore, there is little knowledge about the leadership development of Black female undergraduate students. This exploratory study attempts to fills a gap in the student leadership…