Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Ellen Ziegler
Keywords
transformational leadership, faculty morale, remote faculty, higher education, phenomenology, faith-based institutions
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Chicko, Edward Christian L., "The Lived Experiences of Remote, Part-Time Faculty Members With Transformational Leadership: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study at a Private Christian College in Appalachia" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8051.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8051
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of remote, part-time faculty at a private Christian college in Appalachia as they encountered transformational leadership in their professional roles. Faculty morale was defined as the emotional, psychological, and professional well-being of faculty as shaped by their perceptions of institutional leadership in a remote teaching environment. Guided by transformational leadership theory, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, this study examined how leadership behaviors influenced faculty engagement and institutional connection. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to examine participants’ lived experiences. Purposeful sampling recruited 11 remote, part-time faculty members who had taught at the institution for at least one academic year. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and institutional document analysis for triangulation. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological procedures of epoche, horizontalization, imaginative variation, and synthesis of meanings and essences. Six themes emerged: bridging distance through communication, experiencing care beyond the classroom, finding freedom within shared purpose, being seen and supported in faith and work, growing through guidance and limitation, and seeking belonging across distance. Findings indicated that individualized consideration and inspirational motivation were experienced most strongly, whereas intellectual stimulation was experienced least frequently. These findings offer insights to strengthen morale and engagement among remote faculty.
