Leveraging Transformational Leadership at a Midwestern Two-Year College to Create a Culture of Care and Improve Student Success: A Case Study

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership (EdD)

Committee Chair

Patrick Bennett

Committee Member

Linda Locke

Committee Member

Yuerong Sweetland

Abstract

Two-year colleges play a critical role in providing affordable access to higher education and advancing economic mobility. Yet, many two-year colleges struggle with low persistence, retention, and graduation rates. Leadership practices and institutional culture are critical to addressing these challenges. This qualitative case study explored how senior leaders at a Midwestern two-year college used transformational leadership practices to cultivate a culture of care and strengthen student success. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with senior leaders, direct observations, and institutional data. Using a systematic coding and analysis process, five themes emerged: culture of care, transformational leadership practices, shared vision and mission alignment, student success structures, and organizational change and engagement. The findings demonstrated that leaders modeled transparency, empathy, and collaboration, embedding mission and values into decision-making while developing structures that supported students and improved institutional outcomes. Evidence included rising graduation and course completion rates, graduate wage growth, employee retention, and accreditation recovery. This study contributes to the literature by presenting a transferable model of leadership and cultural practices, illustrating how transformational leadership behaviors, coupled with a culture of care, can be adapted by other two-year colleges to address equity gaps, accreditation pressures, and declining completion rates.

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