Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2020, Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology MS

When employees are dissatisfied, they can choose a destructive solution such as quitting, or they can use voice to effect organizational change. A sample of 277 full-time employees in the United States responded to an online survey of voice, ethical leadership, core self-evaluation, proactive personality, affective commitment, and several control variables. Results from simple, multiple, and hierarchical regression analyses indicated that ethical leadership, core self-evaluation, and proactive personality have positive relationships with voice. In addition, ethical leadership facilitates voice through the path of affective commitment. Proactive personality compensates for low levels of affective commitment. Thus, managers can increase voice among employees lower in proactive personality by increasing affective commitment. Increasing perceived, actual, or awareness of ethical leadership could increase voice among employees with a wider range of scores on proactive personality.

Master of Science (M.S.), Xavier University, 2023, Psychology

This study examined the relationship between different leadership styles (humble leadership and transactional leadership) and how they influenced the relationship between OCBs and organizational commitment. A total of 121 participants participated in this vignette-based study and were recruited from Prolific.com. The results showed a positive correlation between organizational commitment and OCBs, with leadership style acting as a moderator of the relationship. Specifically, the presence of a humble leader strengthened the connection between organizational commitment and OCBs, compared to the presence of a transactional leader, emphasizing the role of humility in effective leadership. However, the current study did not find evidence of leadership style influencing employee intention to engage in OCBs. Further research is needed on humble leadership and how it impacts employee behaviors.

Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2021, College of Sciences and Health Professions

This study examines organizational commitment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through two similar, yet distinct, pathways. Using a foundation of existing social and organizational psychology concepts, researchers predict that continuance commitment will be influenced by the presence of pandemic policies. That relationship is predicted to be mediated by the perceived risk of catching COVID-19 at work, and the relationship between pandemic policy presence and perceived risk will be moderated by belief in the pandemic. Similarly, researchers predict that affective commitment will also be influenced by the presence of pandemic policies. That relationship is predicted to be mediated by perceived organizational support, and the relationship between perceived organizational support and pandemic policy presence will be moderated by belief in the pandemic. Participants completed an online questionnaire and were predominately white, middle-aged men in the computer science industry. Multiple regression and conditional process analyses are used to interpret the data. Results indicate that the relationship between affective commitment and pandemic policies is mediated by perceived organizational support. There is not enough evidence to support the indirect effect of pandemic policies on continuance commitment through perceived risk. There is also not enough evidence to support the impact of belief in the pandemic on either pathway. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Wright State University, 2011, Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology PhD

Causal attributions can play an integral part in how employees respond to events in the work environment (Bowling and Beehr, 2006; Dasborough and Ashkanasy, 2002; Perrewe and Zellars, 1999). Causal attributions of a work behavior or event include locus of causality (i.e., self-directed, supervisor-directed, organization-directed), stability, and intentionality (i.e., altruistic, self-serving). In the current study, I examined the consequences of subordinates' causal attributions on responses to emotional and instrumental supervisor support. As expected, emotional and instrumental supervisor support were positively associated with job satisfaction, supervisor satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors, and organizational commitment assessed 30 days later. Emotional supervisor support also had a weak positive relationship with physical health, whereas instrumental supervisor support was unrelated to physical health. Several causal attributions were found to moderate the relationships between supervisor support and positive criteria, but the moderating effects varied depending upon the type of supervisor support provided, the causal attribution, and the criteria being predicted. Overall, the moderating effects of causal attributions were most common when pertaining to emotional supervisor support and predicting either job satisfaction or supervisor satisfaction. Implications of the current study include, but not limited to, an emphasis on training supervisor's to provide emotional support that is perceived as stable and altruistic. In addition, future researchers should further examine the effects of attributions on criteria that pertain to an employee's self concept.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Nursing : Nursing, Doctoral Program

The mission for faculty in university and college settings is generally three-part and encompasses teaching, research, and service. Nurse faculty have struggled to balance work and understand the changing views of scholarship. A number of factors affect faculty commitment to the academic organization, and can influence behavior and attitude in the workplace. No research was found that explored the effect of organizational climate, role ambiguity, role conflict, and nurse faculty work role balance on faculty organizational commitment and turnover intention. The purpose of this study was to examine how organizational commitment and turnover intention are influenced by organizational climate, role ambiguity, role conflict and nurse faculty work role balance in departments/colleges of nursing in Carnegie Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive, public and private, not-for-profit institutions. The research was based on Meyer and Allen's Multidimensional Model of Organizational Commitment (Allen & Meyer, 1990). The sample was comprised of full-time tenure track, doctorally prepared nurse faculty. Forty-five schools of nursing and 316 full-time tenure track, doctorally prepared nurse faculty participated in the study. This non-experimental descriptive correlational study was conducted using an e-mailed approach. Zoomerang ™, a survey software package, was used for confidential and secure electronic data collection. Pearson correlation, analysis of variance, and logistical regression were computed to analyze the relationships and evaluate the predictive quality of organizational climate, nurse faculty work role balance, role ambiguity, role conflict, and organizational commitment on turnover intention. Path analysis was completed to test the fit of the correlation matrix against the causal model. Role ambiguity and role conflict scores were affected by low, moderate, and high levels of the research, teaching, and service components of work role balance. Significant negat (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Psychology/Clinical

One area of workplace spirituality ripe for investigation is use of religion and spirituality (R/S) to cope with job insecurity. Pertinent literature on transactional coping, R/S coping, sanctification of work, workplace spirituality, and job insecurity is reviewed. Using Mechanical Turk, 467 individuals from the United States who were experiencing some type of job insecurity in their full-time jobs participated in this study. Participants had worked at their respective companies for approximately 4.31 years. The sample was 52.9% male, 77.5% Caucasian, with a mean age of 30.22 years. Approximately 38.5% of the participants stated they never attended R/S services and 35.5% denied having any R/S affiliation. Positive R/S coping moderated the relationship between an individual's organizational commitment and job satisfaction. There was a stronger positive relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction for people who use less positive R/S coping relative to greater use of positive R/S coping. Negative R/S coping separately moderated the relationships between total job insecurity and cognitive/affective job insecurity with psychological distress and health respectively. For those individuals who reported greater use of negative R/S coping, the relationship between either form of job insecurity with psychological distress was more strongly positive than for people who used lower levels of negative R/S coping. For those who reported greater use of negative R/S coping, the connection between either form of job insecurity and poorer health was stronger. Sanctification of work moderated the relationships between organizational commitment and health, organizational support and psychological distress, as well as organizational support and health. In each of these cases, greater use of sanctification was tied to stronger relationships between the organizational and adjustment related variable: positive relationships between organizational var (open full item for complete abstract)

DNP, Otterbein University, 2024, Nursing

Nurses are known to be overworked, overwhelmed, undervalued, and understaffed atdangerous levels throughout various inpatient hospital units across the United States (U.S.). Nurses are known to be overworked, overwhelmed, undervalued, and understaffed at dangerous levels throughout various inpatient hospital units across the United States (U.S.). Hospital registered nurse (RN) turnover is a significant issue that has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in economic impacts and other burdens for organizations, individuals, and communities. Evidence suggests that evaluating Registered Nurses' Turnover intention (NTI) and Organizational Commitment (OC) can help maintain a ready and capable team of skilled RNs; however, most healthcare organizations (HCOs) do not collect or analyze NTI and OC data and focus on staffing numbers and monetary incentives to get adequate nursing numbers. Research shows that RNs with higher OC tend to demonstrate lower NTI and stay in their profession, jobs, and HCO longer. In a local example of one 32-bed stroke unit at a large regional medical center in the Midwest, high staff RN attrition resulted in inadequate RN staffing and closed unit beds, delaying patients' access to timely care. Despite increasing staffing by 3.6 Full-Time RNs, the degree of NTI and OC among nurses working on the stroke unit remains unknown, placing the unit at increased risk of closing beds and disrupting care access in the future. Therefore, the purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) Project was to provide new data to the Nursing Leadership and the healthcare executives who oversee RN staffing. The project was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act QI framework and aimed to evaluate the relationship between NTI and OC through a systematic record review of staff RN questionnaire response data following a unit's recent increase in RN staffing levels. Due to the sensitive nature of the data, the project's data collection could not occur. Despite the limitat (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Organization Development & Change (D.O.D.C.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Organization Development

Title IX regulations have been in place for five decades, and various studies have examined the impact of these regulations on athletics, adjudication, and the experiences of complainants and respondents involved in cases. Although Title IX has evolved, skeptics and supporters have debated whether the regulations are effective. As of late, each presidential administration has revised guidance and steepened the risks for those responsible for Title IX compliance. The Department of Education, through the Office for Civil Rights, requires that institutions of higher education have Title IX coordinators. Results of surveys conducted on the state of the profession have signaled there may be high attrition in Title IX roles, yet limited research has focused on Title IX administrators. The purpose of this study was to understand career commitment influences for Title IX administrators in higher education, with a specific focus on the role of institutional resources. Career entrenchment (Carson et al., 1995; Wilson et al., 2016) and career commitment (Wilson et al., 2016) form the conceptual framework of the study. Additionally, I explored how organization development and change principles may intersect with Title IX work. Career and organizational commitment, as well as resources, are all central to how organizations develop and change. The research questions were: (1) What influences career commitment for Title IX administrators navigating case management and compliance? (2) What role do institutional resources play in Title IX administrators' ongoing career and organizational commitment? I used generalized inductive qualitative research and conducted semi-structured interviews with ten participants with a minimum of three years of experience in Title IX investigation, adjudication, or compliance at Ohio college or university campuses. Seven themes emerged to explain what influenced the participants' career commitment: “Sweat Equity”: Profession (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Social Work

Background & Purpose. Occupational stress and subsequent negative turnover are prevalent and severe issues within health and human service systems in general, and amongst child welfare workforces in particular. In addition to the psychological and physiological consequences for workers, occupational stress and related turnover can greatly impact child welfare organizations, as well as service delivery and family outcomes. Despite various efforts to address retention challenges affecting child welfare workforces, high levels of turnover continue to be a prevalent issue with costly familial and societal implications. The currently inconsistent evidence of turnover-reduction intervention effectiveness reflects a lack of consensus regarding the occupational levels and specific targets that should be involved when addressing workforce stress, organizational commitment, and related turnover. Therefore, the goal of this research project was to understand how multi-level occupational characteristics and experiences of the child welfare profession are associated with workforce recruitment and retention, while accounting for the unique internal and external factors salient to specific service system contexts. Methods. This research project was designed as a cross-sectional state-level case study of the Ohio child welfare workforce. Ohio is one of nine states with a state-supervised county-administered child welfare system, wherein specific policies and practices may range widely between agencies. A multi-level mixed methods approach was therefore used, as solely quantitative data may have failed to accurately capture work-related psychosocial influences. Specific data collection methods included: (1) assessing the local context through quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups conducted with Ohio child welfare staff; and (2) analyzing administrative and secondary data regarding salient features of the child welfare occupational context (e.g., agency, county). Particip (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Organization Development & Change (D.O.D.C.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Organization Development

Unbossed is a relatively new concept that was introduced in 2019 to employees in a multi-national pharmaceutical company; the term originated with the company CEO and is characterized by reducing levels of bureaucracy in the organization with employees being held accountable to the organization, while also having autonomy in their work. This dissertation examines constructs in the scholarly literature that overlap with what the company has labeled Unbossed, to evaluate whether these practices are related to positive outcomes in the organization. 93 employees from this multi-national pharmaceutical company were surveyed to determine if there is relationship between self-leadership and empowering leadership on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Findings indicated that self-leadership and empowering leadership were both positively related to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Given the recent introduction of the unbossed concept at the organizational level, this research also offers exploratory findings about employee understandings of Unbossed. Qualitative responses suggest that being empowered, having autonomy, less management oversight, and having accountability were primary themes in employee understandings of Unbossed. The findings are a step toward connecting elements of Unbossed to positive workplace outcomes, and toward understanding how employees understand and experience an Unbossed culture.

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2021, Health Programs

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic placed a greater strain on hospital systems to keep their nursing teams at optimal levels to meet the increased demand. A loss of nursing staff can have a detrimental effect on patient care and safety, productivity, psychological well-being of the nursing staff, and overall organizational performance. The purpose of this quantitative study focused on examining the relationship between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions among urban frontline nurses working in acute-care facilities. Social exchange theory and Jobs Demands Resource Model represented the theoretical framework in the research study. Six research questions ascertained if a statistically significant relationship existed between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. The hypothesis for the study was that there is no statistically significant relationship between the variables. Data were analyzed using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation and multiple regression analysis from a random sample of 135 frontline registered nurses working in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Variables job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention were measured using the Job Satisfaction Survey, Three-Component Model of Employee Commitment, and Turnover Intention scale-6. The study demonstrated a statistically significant correlations between job satisfaction and turnover intention r (135) = .62, p <.01 and organizational commitment and turnover intention r (135) = .42, p < .01. The predictor variables explained 40.2% of the variance in turnover intention among frontline nurses. Future research should examine nurses' perceptions of their work environment, contributing factors nurses face post-COVID-19, and job satisfaction factors driving turnover among nursing teams.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2021, Nursing

As nearly half of nurse leaders plan to retire or choose to leave the profession in the next decade, a better understanding of organizational commitment and retention strategies is needed. A supportive work environment that provides opportunities for leadership development is essential to grow and retain competent nurse leaders. However, investing in development poses a challenge to employer return on investment in terms of cost, time, and expertise if leaders who gain knowledge and skill leave to seek better employment opportunities. The reasons why nurse leaders stay or leave an organization is an area with little research. The literature suggests mentoring is a strategy for creating an empowering work environment leading to commitment; however, there is limited empirical evidence. The study purpose was to examine relationships among mentoring, empowerment, and organizational commitment in nurse leaders. The study was conducted using an exploratory descriptive cross-sectional correlational design with survey methodology. The study employed a convenience sample of nurse leaders (n = 167) recruited from membership of a statewide nursing leadership professional organization in the Midwest. Participants completed a survey containing demographic items and five valid and reliable instruments: Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II, Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire, Mentoring Practice Inventory, Mentoring Benefits Inventory, and Three-Component Model Employee Commitment Survey. Survey methodology aligned with Dillman's “Tailored Design Method” was used to distribute an online survey to the professional organization email list. Findings revealed the interplay of 20 moderate or strong positive and significant relationships among study variables in support of the proposed study model and contributed new knowledge that mentoring is positively and significantly related to empowerment and organizational commitment of nurse leaders. Mentoring pract (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (M.A.), Xavier University, 2019, Psychology

This study was designed to conduct an internal validation of a healthcare organization's selection assessment. Although selection assessments developed by third-party organizations provide client organizations with useful benchmarking information, an internal validation of the utility of the tools is often lacking. Two scales from the Staff Assessment, a third-party selection tool developed for healthcare organizations, were analyzed to determine their utility in predicting length of service and termination type for nurses. The conceptual frameworks of two of the assessment's scales were compared to conscientiousness (i.e., Work Ethic/Attendance scale) and predisposition to organizational commitment (i.e., Job Retention Index). Using 200 sampled nurses (100 active and 100 terminated) from a midwestern healthcare organization, the two scales were analyzed to determine their utility in predicting length of service and termination type. It was hypothesized that the two scales would be positively correlated with length of service, and positively correlated with each other. It was also hypothesized that the two scales would predict termination types among the 100 terminated nurses sampled. None of the hypotheses were supported. This study highlights a disconnect between the theoretical framework of the assessment and the outcomes it sought to predict. Methodological and theoretical limitations are discussed, with suggestions for how such limitations can be mitigated in future research designs.

PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Institutions have invested considerably in resources and staff to increase student success and persistence. However, retention rates have remained fairly steady over time. The purpose of this study was to synthesize undergraduate student persistence models into a singular parsimonious model using meta-analytic structural equation modeling to test the accuracy of the model across diverse studies. The analysis was successful in supporting many aspects of the major theoretical models proposed about college student persistence from a wide breadth of research on this subject. It was concluded that academic integration, social integration, institutional commitment, and organizational factors of the college/university all significantly contribute to student persistence. Student background characteristics and student external factors were not significantly related to college student persistence. The conclusions of this analysis suggest that all types of institutions invest in programs and services related to academic and social integration, institutional commitment, and organizational factors of the university environment. Recent statistical methods published by Cheung in 2015 made it possible to apply structural equation modeling techniques to meta-analytic research, which allowed for a more robust and complex analysis. Therefore, the contribution of this work is notable because it applies rigorous statistical methods and analysis to substantiate and/or question common theoretical constructs related to college student persistence over a period of 40 years.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2018, Psychology-Industrial/Organizational

Sexism has been a persistent workplace issue for many decades, with a variety of proposed solutions and theoretical explanations throughout recent years. While the prevalence of sexism is well documented, much debate remains about how to best address it. Studies of diversity climate have shown promise in impacting outcomes, but much is still unknown about how and why diversity climate is related to other constructs. The current study aimed to contribute to the diversity climate literature in several ways, including through a multi-level, multi-method approach to examining the relationships among diversity climate components, psychological perceptions, and two outcomes: satisfaction and commitment. The first portion of the study was comprised of several focus groups where qualitative data was collected and analyzed. The second portion of the study involved a survey that was sent to faculty members and department chairs at a large Midwestern university. Results showed that diversity climate components did not impact outcomes indirectly through psychological perceptions as predicted, but did directly impact outcomes. Many of the supported relationships existed at both the individual and group level, and many also depended on demographic variables such as tenure and gender. Possible explanations for these findings, as well as implications, are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2018, Management

This dissertation explores and describes the role of meaningful purpose, mission, and future aspiration in effective and sustainable organizing. It examines Purposing-as-a-process: A collective, creative, inclusive and dynamic process that continuously gives life to collective meaning and aspirations. An initial study of twelve organizations led to the conceptualization of Purposing as encompassing five factors: competence development and recognition; autonomy support; relatedness and caring connections; meaning-making; and ability to tolerate uncertainty (CARMA model). The second study examined these five factors of Purposing, showing direct positive effects from each of the factors on innovative behaviors, organizational commitment, and passion for learning in the workplace. The third single-case study put texture to Purposing. Using a prospective theory building and future approach, phenomenological interviews resulted in six propositions and future aspirations that were consensually validated with participants. This is the first study—with empirical data from the real world—that studies and advances the concept not of Purpose, but Purposing. Organizations as living systems always need to be anticipating the future and thinking beyond the possible. Findings move beyond reifying and objectifying purpose as a “thing,” a “tool,” or a static event, and construe that Purposing is a relational experience—one that nurtures collective calling. The central contribution of this dissertation is a series of propositions for Purposing as a vehicle to foster intrinsic motivation that enables self-organizing capacities. Purposing, as a generative factor, has the potential to foster innovative behavior, organizational commitment, and a passion for learning.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, Agricultural and Extension Education

Employee turnover and turnover intention are key indicators of human resource development practice and overall organizational leadership effectiveness. Employees' perceptions about job satisfaction, satisfaction with supervisor, and organizational commitment are thought to be related to turnover intention. However, empirical studies that examine the relationship between job satisfaction, satisfaction with supervisor, organizational commitment and turnover intention are limited, specifically in the Extension system. Almost all Cooperative Extension employees' turnover studies investigated Extension agents, called educators in some states, as a subject of study; however there is no research that examines turnover intention among the focus of this study, Extension program assistants. Ohio State University Extension (OSU Extension) program assistants, are responsible for recruiting individuals for educational programs, use standardized curriculum to provide informal teaching, and use standardized evaluation instruments to assess program impact. The Cooperative Extension System is experiencing significant changes, which may affect voluntary. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of demographics, job satisfaction, satisfaction with supervisor, and organizational commitment on turnover intention for Extension program assistants. The quantitative research methodology was based on the descriptive–exploratory study and correlational research design. The target population for this study was full time OSU Extension program assistants. An online survey was used to collect data from 149 OSU Extension program assistants. Respondents were asked to provide their perceptions and feelings related to their job satisfaction, satisfaction with supervisor, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics, chi-squared test of independents, correlation analysis, binary linear regression, hierarchical multipl (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Management

Why do individuals perform knowledge work on behalf of organizations in both non-paid (i.e., volunteer) and paid work contexts? And, what spurs an individual's organizational engagement and commitment during this lived experience of performing knowledge work on an organizations' behalf? In this mixed methods study, we sought to explore the potency of learning—specifically, informal learning—on satisfaction, work engagement, employability, and organizational commitment in both paid and non-paid (i.e., volunteer) work environments. Informal learning is rapidly emerging as the preferred learning mode in the workplace, especially in learning-oriented organizations and knowledge-based firms as a potent countermeasure to the ever-shortening shelf life of workers' employability both within and outside the firm. Yet, institutional ambivalence towards the recognition of informal learning and the implementation of systems and structures to facilitate its use are pervasive. This ambivalence is due to the current inability to measure, quantify, or otherwise account for informal learning to meet employer needs, as well as the current inability to assess the efficacy of informal learning, as well as translating informal learning experiences into perceptions of realized value both within and outside the firm. In our first qualitative study (phase #1), we used grounded theory to explicate context-specific, situational factors which contribute to volunteer commitment. In our second quantitative study (phase #2), we used existing survey data from the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to further quantify how and/or to what extent two of these factors, learning and career orientation, contributed (or failed to contribute) to volunteer commitment. We found that an individual's learning orientation is positively related to volunteering satisfaction and future volunteering intent, whereas an individual's career orientation is (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2017, Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology MS

Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) harm organizations and their members (Bennett & Robinson, 2000; Niehoff & Paul, 2000). CWBs, however, often go unnoticed by management. Peer reporting, which refers to employees notifying organizational authorities of their peers' CWBs, can help the organization detect CWBs. Employees, however, are generally hesitant to peer report (Bowling & Lyons, 2015; Trevino & Victor, 1992). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the mechanisms by which the organization, supervisor, and the workgroup might each facilitate employees' peer reporting of CWBs. Drawing from situational strength theory, I argue that the organizational peer reporting policies, supervisors' encouragement to peer report, and workgroup norms regarding peer reporting each create a “strong” peer reporting situation in which employees are more likely to peer report. Furthermore, I argue that commitment to the organization, supervisor, and workgroup moderates the respective relationships of organizational policies, supervisors' encouragement, and workgroup norms with employees' peer reporting of CWBs. Using a sample of workers from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk; N = 450), I found that organizational commitment moderates the relationship between organizational peer reporting policies and peer reporting of CWBs targeted at the organization. My findings have important practical and theoretical implications for the peer reporting literature.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2016, Educational Leadership

This study demonstrates the value of organization-specific articulations of exemplary leadership. The research topic relates to leadership and organizational studies in general, and higher educational leadership and organizational commitment in particular. The focus of inquiry is the complex, human-organizational phenomenon of exemplary leadership commitment to mission and identity among lay leaders in the Catholic and Marianist tradition of one top-tier research university in the United States. The context of inquiry is the emerging prominence and critical role of lay leadership in Catholic higher education. The researcher offers an in-depth examination of how exemplary lay leaders experience and practice their personal commitment to Catholic-Marianist mission and identity. The research objective is to understand and describe the essential meanings in the lived experiences of exemplary lay leaders, presenting individual descriptions and collective syntheses of the phenomenon in focus. The intended audience includes leaders in Marianist and Catholic higher education; administrators involved in leadership development and mission and identity enculturation; and researchers in higher education, phenomenology, and interdisciplinary studies in leadership and organizational behavior. Using the transcendental phenomenological research method, the researcher generates eight individual “portraits-in-words,” containing multilayered human portrayals that allow the reader to intuit and empathize with the interior experiences and meaning making of the exemplary lay leaders in this study. The researcher also analyzes the experiential data collectively, presenting numerous “composite syntheses” of the apparent textures and underlying structures of the phenomenon in focus. Finally, the researcher describes three “streams” within the lived experience of the phenomenon, namely: exemplary lay commitment, exemplary Marianist leadership, and the experience of Catholic and (open full item for complete abstract)