Leadership Experiences of Students of Color

Abstract

Using phenomenological interviewing to preserve students' voices and their lived experiences, researchers at a large public research institution and a midsized comprehensive public institution explored the experiences of student leaders of color. Themes of their experiences included: disdain for the label of leader; the personal costs of holding leadership positions; the different experiences in predominantly White, multiracial, or same-race groups; group loyalty over individual needs; gender differences in leadership experiences; and lack of campus staff and faculty role models