Holistic and Intentional Student Character Development Process: Learning From West Point

Abstract

Facing continued criticisms regarding ethical development of students in schools of business, we expose an innovative, but underresearched, approach to student character development exercised at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Employing the qualitative research tradition, our findings indicate that West Point adopts a complex, action-learning perspective toward student character development over time. Based on a 2-year qualitative dataset consisting of individual and panel interviews along with a rigorous analysis of archival data, we discovered a broad, intentional process aimed to develop student character in the context of the local narrative tradition. Despite the complexity of its character development process, however, we feel several West Point methods, tactics, and general themes employed there will appeal to nonmilitary institutes of higher learning that aspire to engage in student character development.