Women Students at Coeducational and Women's Colleges: How Do Their Experiences Compare?

Developing A Leadership Identity: A Case Study Exploring a Select Group of Hispanic Women at a Hispanic Serving Institution

“…As evidenced in this review of the literature, research indicates that the college years are a critical period in the personal, social and professional growth of people (Astin, 1985(Astin, , 1993Kuh, Schuh, Whitt, Andreas, Lyons, Strange, Krehbiel & MacKay, 1991;Kinzie et al 2007;Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005;Pascarella et al, 1997). Given the increasing accountability on institutions of higher education to prepare college graduates who are prepared for an interconnected world in which they will deal with major economic, societal, and environmental issues; it is important that colleges and universities be intentional in developing leadership programs, based on an understanding of power differentials, that incorporate our diversity across gender and ethnicity, and instill values and skills for effective leadership in a global environment.…”

“…Researchers have suggested other rationales for women students' lesser involvement on college campuses including difference in leadership and relating styles (Dugan & Komives, 2007), the impact of fewer female role models (Whitt, 1994), gender role expectations (Kezar & Moriarty, 2000); fear of not being taken seriously as leaders by men (Cantor & Bernay, 1992) and experience during college (Kinzie, Thomas, Palmer, Umbach & Kuh, 2007;Whitt, Pascarella, Nesheim, Marth, Pierson, 2003), three of these studies will be discussed later in this paper.…”

“…For the purpose of this paper, I highlight the positive aspects of MSIs but recognize that criticisms related to the limitation of single gender/ethnic environments, exist. Research has demonstrated that these environments can be powerful and nurturing to students' learning and provide shelter from the effects of ethnic and gender discrimination (Bridges, Cambridge, Kuh & Leegwater, 2005;Fleming, 1984;Kinzie et al, 2007;Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005;Whitt, 1994). Astin (1993) found that women attending women's colleges exhibit greater gains in cognitive and psychosocial development and engage in educationally purposeful activities at a higher frequency and breadth.…”

“…Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Kinzie et al (2007) conducted an analysis comparing the experiences of women attending women's colleges with those of women attending coeducational institutions from random samples of female first-year and senior students from 26 women's colleges and 264 other four-year institutions. The data was nested, and the researchers intent was to estimate institutional effects, therefore hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the data.…”

“…Students in marginalized groups have lived in a society with overt and covert messages of discrimination, a lack of power, and perceived unworthiness which underlie their identity development and teach them what it means to be "other" (Cross, 1995;Helms, 1990;Josselson, 1987;Kinzie et al, 2007;Phinney, 1993).…”