Understanding the Leadership Identity of First-Year University Students.

Abstract

Leadership identity and capacity development are crucial for first-year students as they begin their academic and professional journeys. This study examined the relationship between leadership identity and leadership capacity among first-year students at three private faith-based institutions. Findings revealed how students primarily understood leadership through hierarchical frameworks emphasizing power and control, while systemic leadership approaches-centered on collaboration and shared responsibility-were less familiar. Using the socially responsible leadership scale, leadership capacity was assessed across key dimensions, including congruence, consciousness of self, and citizenship. Analyses indicated female students scored higher in some leadership facets compared to their male counterparts, while systemic thinking scores were generally low across the sample.