The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) at Montana State University: A national research study on student leadership and development. 

 

This year, Montana State University’s Leadership Institute is participating in the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), one of the largest and longest-running research initiatives focused on understanding how college students grow, learn, and develop as leaders.  

Through this study, students from across the country are helping shape a deeper understanding of leadership and the college experience and informing how campuses like Montana State can better support student growth. At MSU, a random group of approximately 4,000 undergraduate students has been invited to participate. This approach ensures that a wide range of student voices and experiences are represented. If you’re selected, you’ll receive an email invitation with a link to the study. Participation is completely voluntary and your perspective can help contribute to a meaningful change on-campus and beyond!  

Why This Study Matters

As we know, college is more than classes – it’s also about the experiences that shape who you become. 

The MSL study explores questions such as:

  • What experiences help students develop leadership skills?
  • How do involvement, mentoring, and campus experiences influence growth?
  • What environments help students feel connected and empowered to create positive change? 

The study collects data from students across hundreds of institutions to help universities better understand what supports meaningful student development.

At MSU, the results will help the Leadership Institute and fellow campus partners: 

  • Improve leadership and involvement opportunities 
  • Better understand your experiences as a student  
  • Design programs that support your continued growth and success as a student
  • Contribute to national research on student development 

What The Study Includes 

The study asks students (like you!) about their experiences in college and their perspectives on leadership, learning, and campus life. The questions include topics such as: leadership experiences and involvement, academic and co-curricular experiences, skills and perspectives developed during college, and more! 

Who Will Participate In This Study?

Students like you! Undergraduate students (ages 18+) from colleges and universities across the country are invited to take part in this study. Here’s how it works: 

  • At smaller schools (4,000 students or fewer), all undergraduate students may be invited to participate. 
  • At larger schools (like Montana State!), a random group of 4,000 students will be drawn from the general, undergraduate student population. 

If you are selected, you’ll receive an email inviting you to participate in the study. Participation is completely optional. If you don’t respond right away, you may receive a few reminder emails. Once you complete the study– or if you decide not to participate– you won’t receive any more messages. 

How Long Does The Study Take? 

The estimated time it will take you to complete the study is between 15-20 minutes.

Is The Study Legitimate? 

Yes! This study is being administered through a partnership between: 

The MSL has been used by 450 organizations – from colleges and universities, to educational organizations around the world– to help better understand student development and leadership learning. In addition, Montana State University has received approval by the University’s Institutional Review Board to conduct this study (IRB Protocol # 2026-2560). 

Privacy and Participation 

Participation in this study is: 

  • Completely voluntary
  • Confidential
  • Used only for research and program improvement

Your individual responses will not be shared publicly. Results are analyzed in aggregate to identify broader patterns and insights about student experiences. 

Incentives For Participating

To thank students (you!) for taking the time to share your experiences, we will offer incentives for respondents who participate in the study. The MSL will randomly select 25 respondents who will receive a $50 gift card to the MSU Bookstore. These students will be notified via an email from the Leadership Institute Director, Sienna, that they have won, along with instructions for how and when to pick up their gift card to the MSU Bookstore. Students will be invited to pick up the gift card at The Dean of Students/VP for Student Success’ Office in room 174 of the Strand Union Building during normal business hours. 

In addition, MSL is also conducting a “national incentive” and recipients of that incentive will be randomly selected from the 100,000 respondents across all the institutions completing the study. MSU respondents may or may not be selected for the national incentive, but will be included in this drawing’s pool of potential winners. 

How Results Will Be Used

Data from the study helps both MSU and researchers nationally understand how to better support student leadership development.

The findings from this study may be used to: 

  • Improve leadership programming and opportunities in the Leadership Institute and MSU as a whole
  • Inform campus initiatives that support student growth and belonging
  • Contribute to national research on student development
  • Help universities design more effective learning environments

Thank you for sharing your experience 

Your voice helps shape the future of student leadership and learning at Montana State University – and beyond! If you received an invitation to participate, we encourage you to take the study and share your experiences. 


With questions please contact: Ariel Donohue (ariel.donohue@montana.edu) or visit the MSL websiteto learn more.