Psychosocial and leadership identities among leaders of identity-based campus organizations

Bibliographic Data

ID12975892
AuthorsKristen A Renn (0000-0001-5000-2889, corresponding author), C Casey Ozaki (0000-0003-3635-4129, University of North Dakota)
Year2010
Volume3
Issue1
Pages14-26
Publication date2010-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Diversity in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1938-8934 • E-ISSN: 1938-8926
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/a0018564
OpenAlexW2086566839
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited7

In this article, we describe a qualitative study of identities of 18 college students leading identity-based campus organizations at 1 large public institution. Identity-based organizations are those registered student groups whose mission includes serving the educational, cultural, social, or other needs and interests of students from a given psychosocial identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation). We observed 2 paths that students followed through their leadership experience: (1) A “parallel” path in which students experienced their psychosocial identity and their leadership identity separately, and (2) a “merged” path in which students merged these identities into a sense of being, for example, a “gay leader” or a “Latina activist.” Based on our findings that student leaders in identity-based organizations experience both psychosocial identities and leadership identities as salient—whether parallel or merged—we make recommendations for higher education practice, policy, and research

Identity (music · Political science · Psychosocial · Public relations · Social group · Social identity theory · Sociology · Gender Studies · Higher Education Governance and Development · Higher Education Research Studies · Mentoring and Academic Development · Psychology · Social Psychology