Patching the Pipeline: A Five-Year Evaluation of a Faculty Leadership Development Initiative

This study evaluates the Wayfinder Program (pseudonym), a five-year, gender equity-centered leadership development initiative at a research-intensive university in the southeastern United States. Guided by a theory of change framework, the summative evaluation examined short-term outcomes in leadership identity and equity awareness, medium-term engagement through applied action research, and long-term outcomes related to promotion, leadership advancement, and retention of women faculty. Data sources included participant surveys, institutional records, program documentation, and action research reports. Of the 112 participants, 67% identified as women. Participants reported increased capacity to recognize and address gender bias and carried out projects that applied learning to institutional settings. Over the five years, 38% of participants were promoted and 29% moved into formal leadership roles. While overall retention (86%) was slightly below the university average, women were more likely to stay or advance to senior roles elsewhere. These modest but meaningful gains show the need for institutional structures that can support and sustain gender equity-informed leaders. Keywords: gender equity, leadership, leadership development, STEM representation, leaky pipeline, higher education