Leaning In With Empathy

Abstract

In the face of COVID-19, higher education in the United States was challenged to deliver virtual lectures and services in ways never imagined. The need to pay close attention to the psychological well-being of students became even more evident both in and out of the classroom. During the past two years, students experienced tremendous uncertainty and loss. Moreover, studies continue to show students who are first-generation, historically underrepresented, and from low-income backgrounds were most adversely affected. To expect students to return to campuses in the same way they entered in prior years would be unrealistic. This means educational leaders must lean into ways of creating spaces for students to feel seen, heard, and validated. Utilizing principles of servant-leadership and emotional intelligence, educational leaders can redefine their purpose to empathically serve their campus communities considering the effects of COVID-19 and the racial and social injustices the pandemic revealed.