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Impact of Servant Leadership on Graduate Students' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Serve Society after Graduation

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Title: Impact of Servant Leadership on Graduate Students' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Serve Society after Graduation
Language: English
Authors: Sunday Emmanuel Jegede (ORCID 0009-0006-3597-4069)
Source: International Journal on Social and Education Sciences. 2026 8(2):180-221.
Availability: International Society for Technology, Education, and Science. ISTES Organization, Monument, CO 80132. e-mail: istesorganization@gmail.com; e-mail: ijonsesoffice@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.ijonses.net/index.php/ijonses
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 42
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Graduate Students, Leadership Styles, Altruism, Empathy, Participative Decision Making, Ethics, Trust (Psychology), Religious Colleges, Christianity, Student Attitudes, Student Experience, Case Studies, Readiness, Role of Education
ISSN: 2688-7061
Abstract: The problem addressed in this study was the unpreparedness of students leaving Christian higher education institutions in the United States to engage, serve, and contribute to the common good of society after graduation. Student unpreparedness for life after college is now considered a significant threat to higher education enterprise in the United States. Servant leadership is gaining recognition as a viable model for addressing challenges in higher education. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive single case study was to explore graduate students' perceptions of the impact of servant leadership behaviors of the administrators, staff, and faculty at a private Christian university in the Southeastern region of the United States on their preparedness to engage, serve, and contribute to the common good of society after graduation. Greenleaf's servant leadership theory was utilized as the guiding theoretical framework for this study. Thirteen participants who met the eligibility criteria were recruited for the study through purposive sampling. The thematic analysis of the study's one-on-one interviews and focus group data, using NVivo 14, identified two themes that addressed the research question that guided the study. The study findings showed that graduate students developed servant leadership by observing and learning from campus administrators, faculty, and staff who exhibited servant leadership behaviors and offered them opportunities to practice servant leadership. Also, the findings indicated that graduate students believed their experiences with servant leadership on campus have equipped, prepared, inspired, and motivated them to contribute meaningfully to society after graduation. This qualitative descriptive single case study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge on the appropriateness, applicability, and impact of servant leadership in higher education institutions by examining and providing new insights into graduate students' perceptions of servant leadership, which has been lacking in the literature. Future studies should include quantitative analyses to evaluate the impact of servant leadership from the perspective of graduate students across various colleges and universities nationwide.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506045
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Impact of Servant Leadership on Graduate Students' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Serve Society after Graduation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sunday+Emmanuel+Jegede%22">Sunday Emmanuel Jegede</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3597-4069">0009-0006-3597-4069</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+on+Social+and+Education+Sciences%22"><i>International Journal on Social and Education Sciences</i></searchLink>. 2026 8(2):180-221.
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  Data: International Society for Technology, Education, and Science. ISTES Organization, Monument, CO 80132. e-mail: istesorganization@gmail.com; e-mail: ijonsesoffice@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.ijonses.net/index.php/ijonses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Styles%22">Leadership Styles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Altruism%22">Altruism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participative+Decision+Making%22">Participative Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Trust+%28Psychology%29%22">Trust (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Religious+Colleges%22">Religious Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Christianity%22">Christianity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Case+Studies%22">Case Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Readiness%22">Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Role+of+Education%22">Role of Education</searchLink>
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  Data: 2688-7061
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: The problem addressed in this study was the unpreparedness of students leaving Christian higher education institutions in the United States to engage, serve, and contribute to the common good of society after graduation. Student unpreparedness for life after college is now considered a significant threat to higher education enterprise in the United States. Servant leadership is gaining recognition as a viable model for addressing challenges in higher education. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive single case study was to explore graduate students' perceptions of the impact of servant leadership behaviors of the administrators, staff, and faculty at a private Christian university in the Southeastern region of the United States on their preparedness to engage, serve, and contribute to the common good of society after graduation. Greenleaf's servant leadership theory was utilized as the guiding theoretical framework for this study. Thirteen participants who met the eligibility criteria were recruited for the study through purposive sampling. The thematic analysis of the study's one-on-one interviews and focus group data, using NVivo 14, identified two themes that addressed the research question that guided the study. The study findings showed that graduate students developed servant leadership by observing and learning from campus administrators, faculty, and staff who exhibited servant leadership behaviors and offered them opportunities to practice servant leadership. Also, the findings indicated that graduate students believed their experiences with servant leadership on campus have equipped, prepared, inspired, and motivated them to contribute meaningfully to society after graduation. This qualitative descriptive single case study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge on the appropriateness, applicability, and impact of servant leadership in higher education institutions by examining and providing new insights into graduate students' perceptions of servant leadership, which has been lacking in the literature. Future studies should include quantitative analyses to evaluate the impact of servant leadership from the perspective of graduate students across various colleges and universities nationwide.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 42
        StartPage: 180
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership Styles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Altruism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empathy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Participative Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trust (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Religious Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Christianity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Case Studies
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      – SubjectFull: Readiness
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      – SubjectFull: Role of Education
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Impact of Servant Leadership on Graduate Students' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Serve Society after Graduation
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