Hallmarks of Successful Emerging Leader Programs: An Exploration of Effective First-Year, Non-Positional, Co-Curricular Emerging Leader Programs at Colleges and Universities.

Throughout the United States, colleges and universities invest heavily in first year programming. Many of these institutions provide leadership development programs for students. The programs at the intersection at these two efforts are often called emerging leader programs. This study examines co-curricular, non-positional emerging leader programs for first-year students.Specifically, this study examines three aspects of emerging leader programs at three universities. First is an exploration of the way assessment impacts emerging leader programs. Second is an examination of the role that departmental and programmatic structures play in these programs. Finally this study explores the hallmarks of successful programs.This study uses a multi case study approach to establish an understanding of the role of assessment and structures in emerging leader programs and then employs the use of grounded theory to explore the hallmarks of successful emerging leader programs.The findings in this study suggest that assessment does not impact these programs significantly. Structures impact program success specifically relating to delivery format. Finally this study identified three hallmarks of emerging leader programs. These are connection, peer mentorship and future framing. Future framing is the ability of a program to teach leadership concepts to students in ways that support future application.