This doctoral dissertation was a study that assessed the impacts of a student-driven student voice and student leadership program in a secondary public school in a rural district in Maine. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, this study gathered evidence of the impacts of the Student Summit Leadership Program (SSLP) on…

With the needs of the workforce continuously changing, community colleges need to be able to adapt quickly in providing students with the skills they need to be successful in the workforce (Baird & Parayitam, 2019; Beckem & Watkins, 2012). Many employers claim that a common problem among college graduates is that they are not consistently…

The purpose of my study was to document the leadership development of students enrolled in a college leadership development program. Specifically, I was interested in documenting their preconceptions of leadership, leader identity development, motivation to lead, perceptions of effective leadership, and program takeaways that positively impacted…

College student leadership is common learning outcome in American higher education, but it was not until the past decade when researchers began studying college student leadership using critical theories and perspectives. These scholars criticized that current student leadership models and theories have been representative of White, Eurocentric,…

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the perceptions of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) growth among college student leaders who mentor. Recent research documented a positive association between mentoring and the mentee's PsyCap growth, yet little is known about how mentoring impacts the mentor's PsyCap. Additionally, though…

This mixed methods study explored co-curricular student leadership development programs that included intercultural learning and were designed for international students studying at higher education institutions in the United States. The study aimed to better understand: (a) common program characteristics; (b) program administrator perceptions;…

Black student leaders attending predominantly White institutions face difficulties that have not been addressed during their collegiate experience. Black students who attend predominantly White institutions often participate in groups/organizations that embrace their ethnic and racial background more than those that do not. Clubs and Organizations…

This dissertation explores how White undergraduate student leaders in formal, institutional leadership positions perceive the influence of race within their roles. With 18 participants and utilizing participant-generated photo-elicitation, focus groups, and participant narratives, this study revealed that White student leaders often adopted a…

Creating meaningful, supportive, and inclusive climates and situations that recognize and honor minoritized students' backgrounds and experiences while fostering a safe and welcoming learning environment and promoting minoritized student retention have become critical emphases of universities' efforts. Notably, minoritized student leaders have…

While some research exists around the leadership development processes of undergraduate women (Rupert, 2019; Shetty, 2020; Torres, 2019), little exploration has explored the leadership capacity and efficacy development of college women. Dugan and Komives (2007) found that college women scored higher than their male peers on their leadership…

As higher education diversifies, students from underrepresented backgrounds find themselves on campuses that are not prepared to support them or are steeped in European American cultural norms. These students experience "cultural mismatches" when their personal norms do not match those of their institutions, which can harm their social…

Sport has the unique ability and power to develop leadership skills in athletes. However, scarcely has research focused on how the lived experience of being a collegiate student-athlete shapes one's leadership identity. The purpose of this phenomenological study centers specifically on the leadership identity development of Division I…

The purpose of this research was to investigate how leaders may perceive followers within an organization using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and implicit followership theory. These findings will help student affairs professionals to understand better the leader-follower relationship among college students. The literature review will…

The topic of emotional intelligence has garnered much attention from professionals in the business field as a crucial skill for employees to differentiate themselves in an increasingly automated environment. The ability to demonstrate leadership skills and collaborate effectively with others is essential, especially for new professionals. However,…

The purpose of this study is to understand the professional skill development of student employees in a leadership position through a theoretical lens and applied lens. Research suggests that a deficit of professional skills exist in today's college graduates. In higher education, many colleges and universities use a student employment model to…