A Transcendental Phenomenological Exploration of Undergraduate University Students’ Lived Experiences with Spiritual Leadership

This article presents findings from a recent study conducted at a Christian university exploring the spiritual leadership encounters undergraduate students described having with faculty and staff members. University students today face a myriad of challenges ranging from aspects of mental health to...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Neal, Bob E. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Taylor & Francis 2024
In: Christian higher education
Year: 2024, Volume: 23, Issue: 1/2, Pages: 205–222
IxTheo Classification:CB Christian life; spirituality
CF Christianity and Science
Further subjects:B Phenomenology
B Undergraduate students
B spiritual leadership
B faculty–student interaction
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article presents findings from a recent study conducted at a Christian university exploring the spiritual leadership encounters undergraduate students described having with faculty and staff members. University students today face a myriad of challenges ranging from aspects of mental health to finding purpose and meaning in life. As a result, many university decision-makers are seeking ways to improve campus experiences that help meet the needs of their students and increase student engagement, retention, and graduation rates. Spiritual leadership theory is a relatively new theory in leadership studies that has been validated in several studies in various fields. However, there is limited research exploring spiritual leadership in a university context. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research study was to explore the lived experience of undergraduate university students with spiritual leadership encounters while attending a university. The data revealed that the spiritual leadership encounters students in this study had with faculty and staff members resulted in several positive experiences, including feelings of being cared for, feeling supported, developing a sense of community, and increased academic motivation. Recommendations for the future include encouraging university decision-makers to explore the potential benefits of integrating the spiritual leadership framework into current pedagogical practices. The information presented here may help practitioners of the spiritual leadership model in classrooms, residential halls, and other university settings to potentially experience similar benefits with the undergraduate students they teach and lead.
ISSN:1539-4107
Contains:Enthalten in: Christian higher education
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/15363759.2024.2306230