2011 NASPA Annual Conference s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania s March 12–16, 2011

Deconstructing the Black Student Leadership Experience

March 14, 2011Cord McLean – The University of Georgia

R. Teresia Greer – Louisiana State University

LEADER

BLACKStudent

What the Literature Says…About Black Students at PWIs

• Existence in multiple “spaces”– Home community– Smaller Black community on campus– Larger campus community– Society and culture

• Negotiating various (sometimes conflicting) values and expectations

What the Literature Says…About Black Student Issues

• Self-concept and identity integration• Negative assumptions• Hypervisibility• Physical and social isolation• Lack of support

What the Literature Says…About Black Student Involvement

• Cultural communalism– Familiarity, expression, and validation

• Safe space• Source of resistance and persistence• Positive impact on academic and social outcomes• Opportunity to give back

What the Literature Says…About Leadership

Industrial Leadership• Conventional,

hierarchical, exclusive• Partial to systems and

structures• Intentional influence

over others• Reserved for small

subgroup of population

Postindustrial Leadership• Emerging, communal,

relational• Dynamic and change-

oriented• Dependent on quality

relationships with others• Contextual; demonstrated

by anyone at any time

WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS REALLY MEAN?

Future DirectionsFor Black Student Leaders

• Allow yourself the opportunity to integrate YOUR OWN ideals into your self-concept/identity.

• Don’t use cultural familiarity as a defense mechanism.

• Talk about issues that may be attributed to being a Black Student Leader.

• Explore your multiple spaces, and come up with solutions that work for YOU!

Future DirectionsFor Effective Advising

• Increase awareness, knowledge, and skills• Consider relevance of theoretical models• Respect intragroup diversity• Innovate! – Encourage reflection that allows students to

express creative energies.– Champion spaces and programs that redefine this

experience.

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