Institutions of higher studies should consider the development of their students as leaders and offer specific 
leadership programs facilitating this transition. Student leadership development should be a relational model of transformation and empowerment rather than a formal program, course or activity. Several leadership development opportunities exist within the campus community for students to identify, enhance and reflect their leadership abilities in numerous institutional activities, programs, or courses. Therefore, the institutions for higher studies that offer co-curricular or credit-bearing programs help students develop their practice of leadership.
Recommendations for a Good Student Leadership Program
Institutions of higher education can increase their ability to enhance leadership development and develop civically engaged citizens if they:
- Discuss socio-cultural issues
Discussions of different views and diverse perspectives contribute to great leadership outcomes. Thus, leadership development programs must include opportunities for discussions on a wide range of issues. Leadership educators must ensure that a wide range of discussions are included in formal and informal leadership programs.
- Get students involved in at least one organization
Students should work with other students to develop leadership skills. Academic advisors, peer leaders, career counselors, resident assistants, and mentors should help students identify and join at least one group that interests them.
- Get students involved with at least one leadership program
Leadership can be learned and developed. Thus, students must be offered numerous short-term or one-time leadership awareness programs to develop their leadership skills.
- Develop Mentoring Relationships
Engage faculty members with co-curricular leadership programs and work directly with students to help them develop individual relationships with faculty. In addition to faculty mentoring, develop peer-mentoring programs for older peers to link with younger students.
- Align Students’ Self-Perceptions of Leadership Competence and Confidence
Students must be supported to adopt a healthy awareness about their leadership capacity. It involves helping students align their levels of self-efficacy for leadership with actual skills and knowledge.
Implementing an effective student leadership development program will help facilitate a more sustainable practice of leadership. Students can be taught ways to develop their internal leadership skills with a process that helps them to identify their own beliefs, emotions, practices, and values. Students who experience effective leadership at educational levels, are likely to commit to making changes in society because the institutions in which they were trained inculcated this commitment in them.
Institutional researchers use the qualitative and quantitative data, collected from students regarding their leadership development experiences in the program, to evaluate the longitudinal outcomes of the program. The competencies of the students of higher education institutions should include leadership studies, which will allow those students to be globally competent learners with added competencies. It will enhance their marketability and foster in them an attitude of affective competency. In turn, they are able to sustain themselves as they direct their energies toward things that matter to them.
For more insights on evolving leadership styles and critical considerations when leading others, attend this Webinar by expert speaker Aaron W. Hughey, who is a Professor in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University, where he oversees the graduate degree program in Student Affairs in Higher Education. During the session you will learn about the skills and competencies that help students be more job and career ready.
