The effect of leadership programs on engagement

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that collegiate leadership programs offered through Leadership Rowan had on student levels of engagement at Rowan University. This study sought to find a connection between participation in leadership programs and higher levels of engagement as well as evidence of applied leadership skills as a result of their engagement. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was used to develop a measurement instrument to quantify student engagement. The survey was distributed to undergraduate students who engaged in the leadership Rowan Leadership Certificates at the Silver and Gold Levels. The conclusions revealed that participants in the leadership programs were identified as highly engaged students. Data revealed a high measure of activities and abilities that are attributed to leadership values as outlined by the programmatic theoretical framework. It also revealed that students were able to articulate the ways in which they acted in diverse leadership positions in their everyday life. Findings are consistent with previous research and provide more knowledge on the effectiveness of leadership programs as co-curricular educational opportunities