Relationship Between Student Involvement, Leadership, and Belonging Before and During the Pandemic: Points of Comparison and Differentiation

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the college experience; however, it also provided an opportunity to engage with and support students differently. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the college experience; however, it also provided an opportunity to engage with and support students differently. Participation and leadership in college organizations at many institutions has traditionally been an in-person experience; however, during the first two years of the pandemic, this practice shifted to a fully or partially remote setting for many colleges and universities. This chapter compares two years of data from the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) in 2018 and 2021 and explores the pandemic's effect on the relationship between student involvement and leadership experiences and feelings of belonging. Results show slight declines in involvement and leadership experiences and decreased feelings of belonging during the pandemic. The chapter concludes with crucial questions for leaders in education to consider regarding the cultivation of student involvement and leadership in the aftermath of the pandemic.