Leadership Development at University: Comparing Student Leaders with Different Levels of Involvement in a Leadership Education Program

OBJECTIVE
This study examined how students’ leadership behaviors are related to both their personal leadership experiences and their involvement in a leadership education program.

METHODOLOGY
Participants were undergraduate students at the University of Guelph (Canada). One group was those participating in their Leadership Certificate Program and the second group was those who held a position of leadership on campus (i.e., elected student government officials as well as presidents and vice-presidents of student organizations). All participants completed the Student Leadership Practices Inventory. Forty-seven surveys were completed, with 14 from the first group and 33 from the second group. The majority of respondents were females (62%), aged 17 to 22 (75%).

KEY FINDINGS
No significant differences were found in the Student LPI scores between those student participating in the Leadership Certificate Program and those holding student leadership positions on the campus. Similarly no differences were found between those students in the Certificate Program who had completed 60 percent of the program or more compared with those who had completed less of the program.