The role of leadership education: Benefits and challenges for at-risk students

Abstract

Student involvement in leadership education initiatives can have a notable impact on the undergraduate student experience. By actively participating in these initiatives, students have an opportunity to learn more about the concepts, strategies, and tools for effective leadership, while also enhancing their leadership behaviours through guided practice. These programs often provide critical experiences for self-awareness, discovery, and fulfilment. This chapter explores the importance of leadership education as one approach to cultivating student success in higher education, particularly in equipping at-risk students with the communication skills and co-curricular opportunities to succeed. As demonstrated by a number of existing programs, including the Emerging Leaders Institute at Villanova University, these opportunities create the conditions for students to increase their self-confidence, identify their leadership potential, and integrate a nuanced leadership identity into the way they make sense of themselves and the way that they live their lives as college students and aspiring professionals.