This document discusses theories of student leadership development and Chickering's vectors of student development. It outlines two distinct sets of theories - leadership theory and student development theory. Leadership theory includes traditional leader-centered paradigms and emerging process-centered paradigms. Student development theory is based on Chickering's seven vectors of development, including achieving competence, managing emotions, developing autonomy, establishing identity, freeing interpersonal relationships, developing purpose, and developing integrity. Understanding student development theories can help educators better determine student leaders' roles, needs, and expectations based on their development levels. Educators should challenge and support students at their own development levels.

1. Student Leadership
Development
Staff Learning for
University Educators
© Yolanda Michelle Hairston

2. Student Leadership
Development Theory
• Actually 2 distinct sets of theories:
Leadership and Student Development
• Developing leadership is very different
from educating or training leaders

3. Leadership Theory
• Traditional Paradigm
-Leader-centered
-Responsibility on individuals with position,
authority, power
-Followers are passive
KEYWORDS: Power Persuasion
Control Hierarchy
Management

4. Leadership Theory
• Emerging Paradigm
-Process-centered
-Leaders and followers work together toward
shared goals
-Everyone is a change agent
KEYWORDS: Change Collaboration
Value-based Communication

5. Development Theory
• Leadership is married with Psychological
Theory.
• Chickering’s Theory (psychological) has 7
Vectors that pertain to students’ leadership
development, as well as their different
maturity levels while in college.
• Students can start at different levels
(experience, maturity, other factors).

6. Chickering’s Vectors
1. Achieving Competence
2. Managing Emotions
3. Developing Autonomy
4. Establishing Identity
5. Freeing Interpersonal Relationships
6. Developing Purpose
7. Developing Integrity

7. Vector 1: Achieving
Competence
• Sense of competence about own ability to
cope with and achieve what one sets out to
do; intellectual competence is important.
• Example: Students in Freshman year may
be very worried about their ability to
succeed academically or to get along with
others.

8. Vector 2: Managing Emotions
• Biological/Social in origin; control over
behavior by parents/society is lessened
so students must develop own controls;
manifests self in dealing with lust, hate.
• Example: Students at this stage may be
polar in relationships, extreme in their
likes, dislikes.

9. Vector 3: Developing Autonomy
• Moving away from need for approval, while
recognizing the importance of other people; begin to
develop mutually helpful relationships based on
respect; can also be seen as moving from dependence
to interdependence.
• Example: Students don’t need approval from peers as
much as to be in relationships with them; moving from
self as center of universe and can comprehend role in
teams.

10. Vector 4: Establishing Identity
• Critical stage for college students, many
get stuck here; solid sense of self is the
outcome (physical, social, intellectual).
• Example: Students begin to be comfortable
with their strengths and weaknesses; can
take constructive criticism; can begin to
distinguish personal values.

11. Vector 5: Freeing Interpersonal
Relationships
• Increased ability to interact with others in a
meaningful way; changes nature of friendships
and relationships; appreciation for diversity
and difference appears here.
• Examples: Openness and interest in people
different from themselves and in
understanding their points of view; develop
empathy; build relationships built on trust.

12. Vector 6: Developing Purpose
• Having a sense of future direction based
on integration of personal identity.
• Examples: Making career choices based
on congruence with personal values and
self-concept; choosing partners based on
similar congruence.

13. Vector 7: Developing Integrity
• Clarification of a personally valid set of beliefs
which provide a tentative guide for behavior,
relativistic consideration of “rules.”
• Example: Making choices and decisions based
on set of tested personal values; doing things
based on these values and not based on laws,
authority, or peer influence.

14. How You Can Turn Theory
Into Practice
• Understand that students can start at
different levels (vectors) depending on
background, experience, maturity level.
• Understanding the vectors and student
development can help you better
determine leaders, roles, wants, needs,
and personal expectations of students.

15. How You Can Turn Theory
Into Practice, cont’d.
• Challenge and support students at their own
levels, not yours.
• Ensure a balance between your professional
goals and those which hinge on students’
progress.
• Find ways to meet students where they are (not
just in terms of physical locations, but on
mental, emotional, and social development
levels.)

16. Credits
• Courtney Collins-Shapiro,
University of Maryland Hillel
• Kip Lombardo,
Rochester Institute of Technology Hillel
• Center for Creative Leadership,
Greensboro, North Carolina
Presented by Yolanda M. Hairston