Leadership for Whom? A Critical Dialogue on the Impact of Socio-Cultural Conversations Between White Students and Historically Underrepresented Students

Abstract

Student leadership is at the of basis student retention and success. It is important to create leadership programs that provide developmental opportunities and meaning to the academic journey. Historically underrepresented students, specifically Students of Color are admitted to colleges and universities across the country, and enter racially toxic environments (Franklin, 2019). This research brief utilizes data based on the Multi-institutional Study of Leadership (MSL). Data within our brief is centered on understanding how socio-cultural conversations amongst various racial and ethnic groups at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) and the BIG10 create cross-cultural experiences which attribute to effective leadership learning and advancement. Learning about identity in college is a significant portion of students' experiences, so it is also critical to examine the way Racial battle fatigue (RBF), impacts the way students interact and feel during their tenure on campus. The results of this research brief showed the critical impact of engagement within student leadership programs and institutionalized advancement based on the importance of socio-cultural conversations and interactions that contribute to increased student engagement.