ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2338-958X

Date of Graduation

5-15-2026

Semester of Graduation

Spring

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School of Strategic Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Nara Yoon

Second Advisor

Benjamin S. Selznick

Third Advisor

Michael Anthony Goodman

Abstract

Persistent leadership marginalization affects women and gender‑expansive college students, particularly those who are first-generation (FG) or from low socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds. Although institutions espouse commitments to equity, systemic barriers rooted in cultural gatekeeping and institutional norms continue to constrain access to positional leadership roles. This study examines five predictors (FG, low-SES, observational awareness (OA), leader self‑efficacy (LSE), and socially responsible leadership (SRL) to assess their influence on leadership role attainment. Grounded in intersectionality, feminist theory, cultural and social capital theory, and the Social Change Model, the study applies an equity‑centered lens to evaluate main and interaction effects. Logistic regression analyses using secondary data from the Multi‑Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) reveal SRL and LSE as the strongest predictors, while identity‑based disadvantage continues to limit access. Interaction effects show that OA moderates the disadvantage of low-SES), partially offsetting barriers and improving the likelihood of leadership attainment. These findings highlight the conditional nature of leadership recognition and advance equity‑driven approaches to leadership scholarship. By naming leadership marginalization and demonstrating how capacities interact with disadvantage, the study extends leadership theory in higher education, offering a more integrative model that accounts for identity, capacity, and institutional context and supports more inclusive leadership pathways.

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Available for download on Tuesday, April 06, 2027

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