Following the Leaders: Examining Factors Contributing to Undergraduate Students Pursuing Campus Leadership Roles
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Abstract
While nearly every campus has student leaders at some level, the ways those student leaders operate, the roles they have, and the traditions passed down in student leadership communities vary widely by the individual campus communities and their specific cultures. Understanding who becomes student leaders and how these leaders act is critical to understanding factors of a specific campus’s culture. This qualitative study analyzed 140 questionnaires completed by undergraduate student leaders at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB). The results of these questionnaires were used to identify influences contributing to students becoming leaders and the demographic makeup of the undergraduate student leadership community compared to the larger undergraduate student demographic makeup of IUB. Findings suggest that the student leader demographics in the sample generally represent the demographics of IUB as a whole and opportunities for a variety of identity groups are present on campus. Overall, students are motivated to pursue leadership opportunities because of their desires to gain meaningful experiences and personal growth, to explore passion for the organization and subject area, and to become lifelong leaders who make meaningful change.
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