| While women have made great strides in leadership and academia over the last several
decades, women continue to lag behind men in executive leadership positions. In universities,
women students are vastly underrepresented in executive leadership roles; however, at
community colleges the trends are reversed as women are actively taking on executive leadership
positions. Previous research has explored the experiences of women university student leaders,
while no attention has been given to the experiences of women community college student
leaders.
This qualitative, phenomenological research study sought to answer the central research
question, “What are women community college student leaders’ experiences?” Leadership
Identity Development theory (Komives et al., 2005) with a feminist lens provided a framework
for this study. Through data collected from a two-part interview process this study sought to
illuminate the experiences of eight woman students in executive leadership positions at a
community college.
The findings revealed that the women were motivated by previous leadership experience,
encouragement from others, and a strong personal commitment. Further the findings suggested
women employees and peers were particularly influential developmental influences along with
growth opportunities that built self-efficacy. Executive leadership experience helped the women
gain skills, changed their views of gender and leadership, as well as their views of self. In
addition, the findings showed the women engaged as transformational leaders that have
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cultivated a growth mindset. Finally, the findings suggested the women’s leadership identity
development was impacted by trying to balance their multiple roles, the charged political
atmosphere, and gender discrimination. Despite obstacles, the women found active strategies for
overcoming barriers. This study provides important implications for theory and community
college practitioners.
Keywords: community college women, growth mindset, leadership identity development, role
models, student leadership, women’s leadership |