COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Stella Smith

TITLE: BEYOND A CROWN: EXPLORING LEADERSHIP IDENTITY THROUGH A COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

ABSTRACT: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played a central role in developing student leaders, especially Black women. This qualitative study explores how participation in a collegiate scholarship pageant at an HBCU shapes the leadership identity for Black women, guided by Komives et al. (2005) Leadership Identity Development model. While pageants are often seen as surface-level or entertainment-focused, this research reframes them as intentional, culturally grounded spaces that foster leadership, self-awareness, agency, and confidence through experiential learning. The study draws on Cultural Responsiveness (Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 1995) and Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000) to examine how gender performance and cultural identity inform leadership development. Specifically, it investigates: (1) How do former titleholders of HBCU collegiate pageants describe the ways their pageant experiences shaped and continue to shape their leadership identity? ; (2) How do former titleholders interpret and reflect on their leadership roles within the cultural and gendered context of an HBCU? ; and (3) How do former titleholders identify and describe the aspects of the collegiate pageant experience that most shaped their leadership practice and voice as Black women?

Data will be collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The goal is to center the voices of Black women who engaged in this women-centered program and to highlight how their experiences, rooted in cultural affirmation and intersectional identities shape their sense of leadership. This study challenges conventional leadership narratives and expands the understanding of how culturally affirming programs contribute to leadership development in higher education. It also adds to the limited research on Black women’s leadership pathways, particularly within the context of HBCUs.

Keywords: Leadership Identity Development, Cultural Responsiveness, Black Feminist Thought, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Collegiate Scholarship Pageants, Black Women

Zoom Link:

https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/81600603777?pwd=dZUrBgO6I98t676V8EDhThltuJoUmD.1

Meeting ID: 816 0060 3777

Passcode: 837197