John P. Dugan

Involvement and Leadership: A Descriptive Analysis of Socially Responsible Leadership

The development of students as leaders remains a central goal for institutions of higher education as evidenced by mission statements and the increased presence of leadership development programs on college campuses (Astin & Astin, 2000; Boatman, 1999; Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 1999; McIntire, 1989; Zimmerman-Oster & Burkhardt, 1999). Additionally, research indicates that college students can and do increase their leadership skills during the college years (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005), and that this increase can be attributed in part to collegiate involvement (Astin, 1993). These findings complement the growing number of leadership models that specifically target college students, including the relational leadership model (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 1998), the social change model (Higher Education Research Institute [HERI], 1996), the leadership challenge/ Student Leadership Practices Inventory (Posner, 2004; Posner & Brodsky, 1992), and the leadership identity development model (Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, & Osteen, 2004; Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, & Osteen, 2005). In most cases, however, a gap exists between research on college student leadership and the models used in practice. Researchers’ use of general measures of leadership development rather than those tied to existing models has contributed to a scarcity of empirical studies grounded in the theory that informs leadership practice. The purpose of this study is to examine leadership development as well as the role of involvement in leadership learning using the social change model.

Explorations Using the Social Change Model: Leadership Development among College Men and Women

From both historical and contemporary perspectives, the education and development of future leaders has served as a core function of higher education (Astin & Astin, 2000; Burkhardt & Zimmerman-Oster, 1999; Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education [CAS], 1999; ZimmermanOster & Burkhardt, 1999). This is evidenced in institutional mission statements (Boatman, 1999; CAS) and the recent proliferation of both curricular and co-curricular programs targeting college student leadership development (Zimmerman-Oster, 2003). The creation of these programs is consistent with research linking collegiate involvement to developmental gains (Astin, 1993). Further, studies have linked leadership programs with a variety of specific developmental outcomes including civic responsibility, multicultural awareness, skill development, and personal and societal awareness (Cress, Astin, Zimmerman-Oster, & Burkhardt, 2001; Posner, 2004). These findings situate leadership development not only as central to the goals of higher education, but also as a powerful tool for influencing student learning. However, research has also challenged traditionally held assumptions regarding the transferability of leadership models across gender differences (Kezar & Moriarty, 2000).

College Student Capacity for Socially Responsible Leadership: Understanding Norms and Influences of Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

This study examined college students’ capacities for socially responsible leadership using theoretical measures grounded in the social change model of leadership development (HERI, 1996). Findings represent responses from 50,378 participants enrolled at 52 colleges and universities across the United States. Students scored highest on the leadership construct of commitment and lowest on the construct of change. Specific attention was paid to the unique influences of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Women college students scored significantly higher than men on seven out of eight leadership measures. Complex findings associated with race reflect highest scores among African American and Black college students and lowest scores among Asian Pacific American college students. No significant differences emerged related to students’ reported sexual orientations. Results are interpreted in the context of higher education and student affairs practice along with suggestions for future research.

Mentors and College Student Leadership Outcomes: The Importance of Position and Process

Mentorship is empirically related to several desired outcomes in college students including academic success and career development. Yet little is known about how mentorship aids leadership development in college students. This study uses data from the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership, a national study with more than 110,000 participants from 101 institutions, to explore this issue. Findings show that leadership capacity is influenced by the mentorship process and the type of mentor (faculty, staff, employer, or peer). By focusing on who does the mentoring and how the mentoring process unfolds, this study informs best practices in mentoring for student leadership development.

Influences of Leadership Program Participation on Students' Capacities for Socially Responsible Leadership

This study examined differential effects of various types of individual leadership experiences (e.g., retreats, academic minors) on college students’ capacities for socially responsible leadership using data from 8,961 seniors representing 99 colleges and universities. Participation in individual leadership experiences explained a significant, albeit minimal, portion of the variance in students’ outcome achievement suggesting that the type of leadership program matters much less than the degree to which high impact pedagogical strategies are embedded within it.

Understanding Commuter Student Self-Efficacy for Leadership: A Within-Group Analysis.

Although students who live off-campus comprise over 85% of today’s college enrollments (Horn & Nevill, 2006), the body of research on this group is far smaller than that on residential students. Researchers regularly treat commuter students as a homogenous group and largely ignore the significant within-group differences that characterize the population (Jacoby & Garland, 2004). One way to look at the diversity within this group is to study commuter students living in the home of a parent, guardian, or other relative (i.e., dependent); and commuters who live on their own or with others (i.e., independent) (Roe Clark, 2006). This study used data from the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership to examine within-group differences between dependent and independent commuters on the key college outcome of leadership self-efficacy (Astin & Astin, 2000). Leadership self-efficacy refers to one’s confidence in his or her capacity to lead (Murphy, 2002), and often makes the difference as to whether one actually does lead. The study also examined unique predictors of leadership efficacy for each population. Results reflected statistically significant within-group differences with independent commuters, indicating a greater sense of leadership efficacy than their dependent commuter peers. The same three environmental variables emerged as the most significant predictors of leadership efficacy for both groups: socio-cultural conversations with peers, positional leadership roles in college organizations, and employer mentoring. These were complemented by additional predictors unique to each population. This research supports the assertion of commuter student diversity and provides insights into how educational practice can best support their development of self-efficacy for leadership. Funding support for the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership was provided by the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs, C. Charles Jackson Foundation, NASPA Foundation, and ACPA Educational Leadership Foundation.

The Role of Social Perspective-Taking in Developing Students’ Leadership Capacities

Abstract This study examined relationships between social perspective-taking (SPT) and the individual, group, and societal domains of socially responsible leadership. SPT is a higher-order cognitive skill linked to moral development and social coordination, but never empirically connected to leadership development. Analyses determined SPT has a strong direct effect on group-level leadership values and an indirect effect on societallevel leadership values. Results offer critical new insights into directionality in the social change model.

Commonalities and Differences Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual College Students: Considerations for Research and Practice

This study explores the appropriateness of collapsing lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) college students into a single category in quantitative research designs as well as the nature of their engagement with the collegiate environment. Data were collected as part of a national study and represent a total of 980 LGB self-identified college students from 52 colleges and universities. Results suggest that LGB students are more similar than they are different across 13 dimensions of the collegiate experience.

Leveraging Leadership Efficacy for College Students: Disaggregating Data to Examine Unique Predictors by Race

Cultivating leaders who are prepared to tackle complex social issues is positioned as a critical outcome of higher education and a tool for diversification of the workforce. Both leadership studies literature and leadership development practice, however, are negligent in the attention directed at understanding the role of social identity in framing college student leadership education, particularly as it relates to race. This contributes to a “one-size-fits all” approach derived largely from the experiences of white college students. The present study attempts to address this gap through the analysis of predictors of leadership self-efficacy conditioned by racial group. Using data from 8,510 college students the study highlights the critical importance of disaggregation in quantitative research and the emergence of unique predictors of leadership efficacy by racial group membership. Results offer insights into the importance of centering race in the study of college student leadership development to best leverage learning gains.

Patterns in Group Involvement Experiences During College: Identifying a Taxonomy

This study explored whether latent phenomena could be identified to classify students based on their patterns of involvement in cocurricular group experiences. The sample was comprised of 11,209 seniors from 50 institutions. A total of 4 latent factors were identified and students were classified into one of 8 latent classes. Findings offer new analytic and conceptual approaches for use in college impact research as well as a useful heuristic tool to assist student affairs professionals in designing and targeting educational interventions.