Date Approved
4-27-2026
Graduate Degree Type
Project
Degree Name
Education (M.Ed.)
Degree Program
College of Education
First Advisor
Karyn Rabourn
Academic Year
2025/2026
Abstract
Students of Color represent a growing population enrolling at Historically White Colleges and Universities (HWCUs). Within these institutions, race-neutral practices and programming hide the racialized contexts that shape the experiences of Students of Color on predominantly White campuses. When analyzing leadership development practices at HWCUs, frameworks that do not account for the implications of race may reinforce dominant norms, thereby limiting the effectiveness of leadership programs in supporting diverse student populations. Simultaneously, student affairs professionals may be ill-equipped to address racial dynamics and must proactively seek out professional development opportunities to increase cultural competency.
This project proposes a professional development program for student affairs professionals to encourage a reimagination of student leadership development through culturally responsive lenses. The From Deficit to Empowerment (FDE) Professional Development Series is grounded in asset-based and culturally relevant leadership approaches that center institutional sociocultural contexts with student identities and lived experiences. Specifically situated at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), this project offers a framework for advancing equity-centered initiatives and provides student affairs professionals with a practical model for creating and implementing more inclusive, identity-affirming leadership environments for Students of Color.
ScholarWorks Citation
Dallas, Bethany, "From Deficit to Empowerment: Culturally Responsive Leadership Development in Student Affairs Practice" (2026). Culminating Experience Projects. 683.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/683
