Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Title from title screen. Susan, Talburt, committee chair; Deron Boyles, Richard Lakes, Irene Prue, committee members. Electronic text (146 p.). Description based on contents viewed May 8, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-140).

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Student governance has been in existence as an integral part of higher education almost since the founding of the first college in colonial America. However, little is understood about the lived experience of students involved in student governance, and specifically those who participate in leadership positions within student government organizations such as the student government president. Therefore, the primary purposes of this study are to highlight experiences of students who served as presidents of a liberal arts college’s student government association and to examine the meanings these individuals construct out of their leadership experiences. This study employed qualitative methods, which included in-depth, open-ended, semi-structured interviews and journaling. The sample was made up of six students who served as student government association presidents at a small, private, liberal-arts college. From the data derived through the interview and journaling processes, an overall picture of the experiences of the participants and the meanings that the participants construct of their experiences was drawn. Based on the results, several themes regarding the participants’ experiences as student government presidents emerged from the data, which include: positive and negative facets of their presidencies, stress as a substantial element during their time in office, dissimilar experiences of women and minority students, varied experiences regarding relationships and conflicts with members of the campus community, the multiple roles required of a student government president, and personal approaches to leadership that a student government president must possess and hone. Conclusions based on the data were included and implications for student affairs practitioners were discussed as well as recommendations for further study were made.

The purposes of this study were to determine the current practices, as reported by the sponsors, of the senior high school student councils in the state of Texas and to compare these practices with those recommended by national student council specialists. A subsidiary purpose was to give direction for future district and state workshops.

The purpose of this study was to investigate student participation in collegiate student governance, the impact of that involvement and its influence on career choice for African-American participants, and to enlighten educators about role and value of collegiate student government participation. If participation in student government and involvement in leadership activities is important in the overall development of a student, then the benefits and characteristics of that development may appear after the student graduates and enters society and the workforce (Cress, Astin, Zimmerman- Oster, & Burkhardt, 2001). Studies conducted over the last twenty years have attempted to measure the impact of involvement and leadership development on college students after graduation (Cress, et. all, 2001; Sommers, 1991) but not much has been written about the subject specifically tied to student government (Downey, Bosco and Silver, 1984; Kuh and Lund, 1994; Schuh and Laverty, 1983; Sermersheim, 1996). A qualitative case study/cross case analysis of multiple participants was utilized for this project. Following the collection of data through the use of a written participant profile and oral interviews with each of the survey participants, case studies were constructed and presented in a narrative form to allow the individual personalities of the participants to emerge. The use of cross case analysis allowed the researcher to group the data into themes and highlight patterns that cut across each case, more narrowly defining what related factors were significant to the impact of student government participation and the selection of a particular career choice. x The findings from this study indicate that while the impact of student government participation has an overall positive effect on students who participate, including greater career competency and self confidence, students attribute their choice of career to their chosen undergraduate major or other factors. Study findings revealed evidence that the impact of student government involvement was limited in its direct influence on career choice.

The student council idea is now widely accepted in secondary schools in the United States; its full potential in contributing to the education and lives of students has not been realized fully in a great many instances. The student council is a dynamic movement and because it is dynamic it is capable of change to meet new conditions. Hence, it cannot remain basically the same year in and year out. The changing dimensions of the student council can be realized only if students, faculty and principals work at it.

Dissertation (Ed.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Charles Gause; submitted to the Dept. of Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 28, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-152).

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on July 13, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-168).

Disputats, Stockholms universitet, 2006. / Serien udgivet af: Lärarhögskolan i Stockholm.