The power of extracurricular activities in shaping future leaders

Purpose Drawing on Astin's Input–Environment–Outcome (I–E–O) framework, this study examines how participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) is associated with leadership learning among first-year university students in a transition-economy context. Design/methodology/approach A two-wave longitudinal design was employed. Survey data were collected from 482 first-year students at the start of the academic year and from 185 students nine months later. Leadership was assessed using the Zharikov–Krushelnitsky Leadership Diagnostic Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, correlations, hierarchical regression, mediation, moderation, and lagged longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine relationships among student background inputs, extracurricular environments, and leadership outcomes. Findings Early leadership outcomes were positively linked to participation in structured ECAs, particularly intellectually demanding activities and individual sports. Gender and English language proficiency were related to leadership at the beginning of the academic year, whereas age and quantitative ability were not. Longitudinal analyses showed that early ECA participation did not directly predict later leadership after baseline controls. Instead, autonomy-related conditions, particularly independent living, became more salient over time. These findings indicate a potential developmental shift in the factors associated with leadership outcomes over time. Research limitations/implications The single-institution focus and one-year observation period limit generalizability. Future research should adopt multi-institutional and longer-term longitudinal designs. Practical implications Leadership educators may prioritize structured, developmentally sequenced extracurricular environments that emphasize communication, responsibility, and autonomy. Social implications Equitable access to high-quality ECAs can support leadership development and social mobility in transition economies. Originality/value The study integrates Astin's I–E–O framework with an explicit behavioral conceptualization of leadership and a culturally grounded leadership measure in a post-Soviet higher education context, extending leadership education research beyond Western settings.