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In the KnowNew Data on Leadership EdLeadership education, a fairly recent arrival on the higher education scene, has already gathered an impressive array of proponents and detractors. Can leadership be taught and learned in the same way as more traditional fields of study such as math or history? Proponents argue that leadership education is a legitimate area of study. Universities, they add, have a responsibility to send students into the world with skills that allow them to be leaders in an increasingly complex and complicated world. Now comes a report presenting evidence that at least some of the programs focused on leadership development do make a difference in the lives of students. Leadership in the Making: Impact and Insights from Leadership Development Programs in U.S. Colleges and Universities presents the success stories of a variety of W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded leadership projects between 1990-1998 and details the elements of these programs that help make them successful. Notes the Kellogg report: "Findings from independent researchers have demonstrated that leadership behaviors can be taught and learned." One important finding: Students involved in leadership programs have shown an increased sense of civic responsibility, better multicultural awareness, and more community orientation and involvement. Participants in one leadership program at Ball State University cited gains in confidence, leadership skills, and willingness to serve in leadership roles. A survey of leadership students at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University found "more cooperation, less authoritarianism, and more ethical views of leadership among program participants compared to nonparticipants." The report also notes that leadership programs can be tailored to a wide range of institutional settings and student needs. Finally, an independent analysis by the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute finds that students in academic courses that emphasize leadership have a significantly higher grasp of theoretical knowledge about leadership and a willingness to develop leadership in others. One additional piece of good news: Leadership programs produce better integration into the college experience, higher retention rates, and a stronger sense of involvement with the surrounding community. Copies of the report are available from the Kellogg Foundation at 1-800-819-9997. |
