Thomas, Katie
(2020)
Growing Leaders: An Evaluation of a Community College Grow-Your-Own Leadership Institute.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Community colleges serve a significant portion of the nation’s college students; however, community college leaders are in short supply, a function of mass retirements across the sector in conjunction with a lack of prepared practitioners in the community college leadership pipeline. To address this leadership gap, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) identified core Competencies for Community College Leaders to inform and encourage the development of community college leadership preparation programs, which generally take one of three forms: university-based programs leading to a terminal degree; state or organization-based programs requiring broad collaboration and common, system-based outcomes; and grow-your-own leadership institutes specific to local contexts and internal leadership development. The evaluation of a community college grow-your-own (GYO) leadership institute—the Western Pennsylvania Community College Leadership Institute (WPCCLI)—forms the core of the present study. Using a program logic model approach, the WPCCLI was evaluated across each of AACC’s five Competencies for Community College Leaders: 1) organizational strategy, 2) institutional finance, research, and resource management, 3) communication, 4) collaboration, and 5) community college advocacy. Participant surveys were used to assess the degree to which each AACC competency was met at the “emerging leaders” level. The WPCCLI met its established program outcomes across all competency areas except, Institutional, Finance, Research, and Resource Management, suggesting the Institute was a successful means of leader development. A deeper analysis of quantitative and qualitative survey data revealed the primary strengths and weaknesses of the Institute. Relationship building, inclusive of networking, conflict resolution, shared governance, customer service, and collaboration, formed the primary strengths of the WPCCLI, while applied learning, across the dimensions of active learning, skill practice, institutional context, and immersive experiences, formed the primary weaknesses of the Institute.
Share
| Citation/Export: |
|
| Social Networking: |
|
Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
|
| Date: |
17 May 2020 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
1 August 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
17 May 2020 |
| Submission Date: |
27 April 2020 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
87 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Education > Administrative and Policy Studies |
| Degree: |
EdD - Doctor of Education |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Community College Professional Development, AACC Grow-Your-Own Leadership Competencies for Community College Leaders |
| Date Deposited: |
17 May 2020 17:35 |
| Last Modified: |
17 May 2020 17:35 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/38805 |
Metrics
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}