Effective Leadership Development for Undergraduates: How Important is Active Participation in Collegiate Organizations?

Leaders are needed in all areas of life. A question arises, “Where do leaders come from and how do they develop the skills necessary to be effective?” Colleges and universities have been developing leadership skills since their inception (Astin, 1996). This study examined students in a college of agriculture to determine if students’ perceptions about leadership skills varied based on participation in collegiate organizations and whether a participant held a collegiate officer position. Results indicated 55% were active in collegiate organizations and 23% held an officer position. For the most part student perceptions related to the impact on leadership skill development did not vary between the groups and were “positive” in nature. It was noted that approximately 36% of all responses were “negative” toward the collegiate organizations’ ability to develop leadership skills. Therefore, recommendations include that individuals in leadership positions should examine their organizations’ ability to develop members’ leadership abilities.