Advancing the Conversation: Leadership Development as a Vital Element of Black Men’s Collegiate Socialization

• In Event: Collegiate Black Men and Leadership Learning for Liberation

Abstract

Leadership education is a dynamic and changing discipline that has substantial effects on how college students navigate, understand, and make sense of their experiences. For Black men, this often means exploring how these students make meaning of their collegiate socialization experiences and their understanding of the term leadership. Socialization refers to the process through which individuals acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enable them to become more or less effective members of their community (Weidman et al., 2001, p. 4). Building on this concept, Ford (2020) proposed the Identity Responsive Early Career Socialization Model (IRECS) as a framework for understanding the encounters of Black men in collegiate settings. IRECS was created to shape how racial microaggressions and racial battle fatigue impact three primary socialization components: mentorship, professional development, and academic preparation.
Like many existing frameworks, IRECS place’s identity at the center of understanding the experiences of Black men in collegiate settings. Griffith and Ford (2022) emphasize the significance of leadership in the professional development experiences of Black students, underscoring its pivotal role alongside identity in shaping their experiences. Additionally, according to Harper (2006), it is important for higher education institutions to recognize that Black males are not a homogeneous group. Despite facing similar challenges as other underrepresented populations, their individual experiences vary significantly.
To provide a deeper understanding of how leadership is a component of socialization for Black men, this conceptual paper seeks to prompt a reconsideration and reimagining of the approaches employed by higher education institutions. Moreover, this work seeks to assist leadership educators in their efforts to provide support, facilitate socialization, and foster comprehensive development for Black men throughout their journey in leadership development. Lastly, this conceptual paper seeks to expand what is currently known about the Identity Responsive Early Career Socialization Model and the need for leadership educators to understand how the model impacts the development of Black men’s leadership identities.

Authors

• Jesse Randall Ford, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• D'Angelo Gillam, University of North Carolina - Greensboro