The Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Community College Educational Leaders

Abstract Educational leaders at the community college seek to achieve institutional missions and personal visions at the college, yet are faced with increasing challenges such as those exacerbated by the pandemic (i.e., decreasing enrollment, state accountability for graduation rates, limited budgets, and faculty job satisfaction). For leaders at the community college to become effective leaders in a post-pandemic world they must develop their social and emotional intelligences ( sei ) to overcome challenges with vitality and not succumb to burnout. Developing growth-promoting mentorships is a source of sei development because it offers emotional restoration through spiritual encounters. The leaders’ spiritual well-being is directly linked to their sei . When educational leaders innovate opportunities to form mentorships and support social and emotional wellbeing of faculty and students, the community college will thrive in the face of future challenges and constant uncertainties. This paper contributes to the gap in the literature for innovative approaches for supporting the emotional well-being of educational leaders at the cc . The unique contribution is through the focus on the power of the mentor-mentee relationship as a spiritual encounter.