Development Of Exemplary Leadership Practices Among Engineering Students Through A Community Service Approach Of Private Universities In Zhengzhou, China

Abstract

This study aims to develop a community service activity approach to enhance leadership among engineering students at a private university in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. This approach aims to improve students' exemplary leadership practices and develop best practices for community service activities. Through reviewing the literature and structured interviews, the researcher developed four approaches to effective community service activities (the four effective activities are mentoring activities, spiritual activities, volunteer service activities and activities of social organizations) and developed a questionnaire to investigate the current status of students' exemplary leadership practices and community service activities. Four student affairs deans, four student management teachers, four student research directors, and 683 engineering students from four private universities in Zhengzhou, China participated in this study. The research results show that: 1) Before the implementation of the approach in this study, students' awareness of exemplary leadership practices was at a medium level. However, students' awareness of community service activities is generally higher. 2) Students' exemplary leadership practices are positively related to community service activities. 3) After implementing the approach, students' exemplary leadership practices have been improved. Discussions are conducted based on each research objective, and recommendations are made to schools and teachers at the end of the study.