UC Santa Barbara

This study used a qualitative interviewing approach to explore the psychosocial and organizational dimensions of the leadership of two staff leaders at a student center (The Center) at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Interviews were conducted with two leaders over the course of three years, and I analyzed the findings based on the staff leaders’ mental models, self-efficacy, immunities to change, and professional practice of presence. Using Keller and Slayton’s (2016) leadership framework, I considered how the professional practice of presence promoted a culture of inquiry and fostered organizational change. Findings indicate that leaders were able to produce unique academic programming built on a foundation of psychosocial and cultural validation through the practice of presence. Furthermore, indications reveal the pivotal role that staff leaders played in cultivating a safe and validating space for Latinx students at an HSI. Research directions are proposed, including further exploration of how leaders’ efforts are shaped by their contexts, and how the practice of presence produces organizational change.