Pipelines to Leadership: Aspirations of Faculty in the Community College, Kentucky Community and Technical College System

Community colleges are challenged to find their next set of leaders who can respond to the diverse challenges of leading the institution. This study examined the impact of institutional and personal factors on faculty aspirations to leadership roles within the community college through the utilization of the Social Cognitive Career Theory framework. A case study research design utilizing mixed-methods investigated the perceived and preferred organizational culture(s) and the manner in which institutional and personal factors influence faculty aspirations to assume leadership roles at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.;The findings of the research indicate that affecting change and being asked to lead are personal factors of influence that motivate faculty to aspire to formal leadership positions within the community college. On the other hand, the challenge of formal leadership roles, family and work-life balance might dissuade faculty aspirations of faculty to formal leadership roles. The study reveals that organizational culture was a positive factor of institutional influence.;This study advances the field of educational leadership in that a number of personal and institutional factors influence the aspirations of faculty as they consider movement into formal leadership position within the community college. The findings identify the need for research across multiple institutions and the need to expand Social Cognitive Career Theory to include personal-cognitive barriers of race and gender.;KEYWORDS: Academic Administrative Leadership Roles, Institutional Factors and Personal Factors.;Academic Administrative Leadership Roles -- formal leadership roles within the academic unit of community colleges: Vice President, Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, Division Chair, Director.