Minding and mending the gap between professional preparation and practice of student affairs leadership educators

Purpose To improve leadership development in informal collegiate leadership learning environments, this study explores how student affairs professionals perceive the importance of and their proficiency in 55 previously identified required student affairs leadership educator professional competencies. Design/methodology/approach The Borich needs assessment model was used to measure the differences between the perceived importance of, and the professionals' knowledge of, ability to perform and ability to teach each of the 55 competencies. Findings The present research highlights a critical need to reexamine student affairs preparatory programs' ability to prepare effective leadership educators and thereby prepare the next generation of leaders, as more students engage in leadership development in informal rather than formal collegiate educational settings. Although 49 of the 55 competencies were deemed important by participants, significant discrepancies emerged between importance and proficiency. Knowledge proficiency gaps were most frequent, but teaching proficiency gaps had the largest magnitude and thus should be the focus of future interventions and research. Originality/value If higher education institutions are serious about developing the next generation of leaders and active citizens and improving students' leadership learning at their institutions, then it is imperative to reexamine how student affairs practitioners are prepared to be leadership educators and invest the additional resources in their staff.