Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of student-facing staff inJesuit higher education institutions in the United States. It was developed in response to
the increasing turnover in higher education in the early 2020s and specifically examined
the relationship between the job satisfaction and turnover intention of student-facing staff
and their perceptions of authentic leadership behaviors in their direct supervisors. This
quantitative study used an electronic survey consisting of a socio-demographic section,
the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, the Brief Job Satisfaction Measure II, and the 3-
Item Turnover Intention Scale. Surveys were distributed via email in the Spring of 2023,
and 229 usable responses were received from 23 of the 27 Jesuit colleges and universities
in the United States. Analysis of the data showed that perceptions of authentic leadership
behavior predicted job satisfaction and turnover intention. Specifically, there was a
positive relationship between authentic leadership and job satisfaction, and a negative
relationship between authentic leadership and turnover intention, which was partially
mediated by job satisfaction. The author concludes with recommendations for the
implementation of an authentic leadership development program for Jesuit higher
education leaders looking to improve the experiences of their student-facing staff and
ultimately decrease their turnover intentions.