Publication Date

Spring 5-10-2025

Document Type

Action research project: Open access

Degree Name

MA Higher Education Leadership

Department

Leadership Studies

Abstract

The purpose of my research was to explore how integrating students as partners in professional development enhances student leader training. The study addressed gaps in student participation in training session planning, guided by two research questions: How can integrating students as partners in student leader professional development initiatives contribute to training success? And, what insights can be gained from including undergraduate student leaders in curriculum development for professional training? Research cycles included a survey, workshops, and reflective journaling. Themes that emerged were the importance of staff–student collaboration, student empowerment as co-creators, and the value of diverse perspectives. Findings showed that student involvement increased engagement, creativity, and relevance in training sessions. Recommendations include cross-role collaboration, incorporating student driven activities, and post training reflections to further enhance engagement. By fostering intentional collaboration, training programs can better support student leaders’ growth and impact, ensuring their holistic development and meaningful contributions to University of San Diego and beyond.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND License.

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