Theory-driven approach to developing socially responsible leadership in emerging adults: Commitment

Abstract

The current scholarship-to-practice brief discusses a theoretically grounded intervention on developing Commitment, an individual value of the Social Change Model of Leadership (SCM), among college student mentors and adolescent mentees. Having previously shared developmental interventions on Consciousness of Self and Congruence (Sunderman & Hastings, 2021, in press), the other two values of the SCM, this brief highlights a two-part leader development intervention: (a) a one-hour content block with interactive activities and (b) a small-group, discussion-focused meeting. Specifically, the intervention focused on identifying areas of passion, examining Commitment in others, and planning a task or activity to demonstrate Commitment. Accompanying the intervention is an assessment strategy based on the learning objectives. By sharing a description of the intervention and an evaluation strategy, leadership educators and student affairs practitioners can implement their own Commitment curriculum in myriad settings.