| Abstract |
- The purpose of this study was to describe the leadership development process
of former student leaders at Snow College. More specifically, the study focused on
understanding how, when, and where leadership development took place in their
"lived experience" within the student government at Snow College (Van Manen,
1998). Examining the lived experiences of these former college student leaders has
helped bring forth the essence of their student leadership development process as it
related to the Snow College student government program. The study identified key
themes, formal and informal techniques, or common threads of success or failure that
contributed to the knowledge base of student leadership development in this
community college setting.
Through a phenomenological inquiry, eight former student government leaders
were interviewed. Two principle research questions guided the design of this study: (a)
While you were a student leader at Snow College, how did your leadership skills and
abilities develop? (b) While you were a student at Snow College, how did the
institution specifically contribute to your growth and development as a student leader?
Analysis of data yielded eight central themes, with 16 sub-themes nested within the
central themes.
Four broad themes and seven sub-themes emerged from the first research
question. They include: (1) Opportunities and three sub-themes: (a) Learning to serve
and the changes that take place, (b) Inclusion and putting others first, (c) Learning by
doing. (2) Structured Experiences and two sub-themes: (a) Student government, (b)
Other experiences from being involved, (3) The influence of mentors, specifically
advisors, (4) The formal Education Process and two sub-themes: (a) The Leadership
Class, (b) Conferences and Retreats.
Four broad themes and nine sub-themes emerged from research question two.
They include: (1) Snow College student government provided hands-on experiences,
(2) Culture and three sub-themes (a) Invited participation, (b) The student is important
to the institution, (c) Leadership driven environment, (3) Professional Support and four
sub-themes: (a) Professional mentors, (b) Taught by example, (c) The college
president, (d) High expectations to learn and do, (4) Education and two sub-themes:
(a) The leadership class, (b) An established environment for active learning.
Emerging from these thematic descriptions were six observations that
demonstrated how student leadership development took place at Snow College: (a) An
Elected Position within Student Government was the Catalyst for Leadership
Development; (b) There was an Institutional Culture at Snow College that Supported
Student Leadership Development; (c) Professional and Engaged Advisors played a
Intentional Key Role in Student Leadership Development; (d) The Structured Formal
Learning Forums within Student Government are Important to Leadership
Development; (e) The Informal, yet Structured, Hands-On Experiences Provided
Teaching Moments that made a Lasting Impression on these Participants; and (f)
Unstructured yet Urgent Situational Leadership Decisions Connected to the Positions
held within Student Government created Real Life Opportunities to Learn Leadership
Skills.
Recommendations include: (a) Student government or some other significant
student life program that will provide heightened leadership opportunities that will
allow a student leader to practice or have hands-on leadership experiences; (b) The
institution should have a culture that values the importance of student leadership
development at all levels and lends support by creating opportunities for others
including administration to mentor student leaders; (c) The institution's primary goal
is to educate, and this goal needs to be carried over to the leadership development
program; (d) The institution should hire professional full-time advisors for their
student life organizations such as student government or whatever organization is part
of the student leadership development program; (e) There should be informal
orchestrated experiences that help shape leadership skills and abilities in student
leaders; and (f) The student leaders should be allowed hands-on experiences that are
real and impactful such as those experienced by the study participants in student
government at Snow College.
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