The Role of Faculty Support in Student Engagement in Higher Education

This study aimed to investigate the level of faculty support and student engagement, as well as their relationship in higher education. A descriptive correlational quantitative research design was used to analyze a sample of 257 students from the College of Business Management and Accountancy at Holy Trinity College in General Santos City. The descriptive statistics indicated that the level of faculty support was high (M = 3.90, SD = 0.804), and the student engagement level was even higher (M = 4.00, SD = 0.765). As correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between faculty support and student engagement (R = 0.831, p < .001), it can be concluded that the higher the feeling of encouragement from the faculty, the higher the chances are that students will be actively engaged in their academics. Such findings support not only a prominent role of faculty in promoting student engagement but also the ability to develop relational, motivational, and developmental approaches within the teaching practice. The study recommends that faculty development programs in higher education should focus on mentorship, effective communication, and student-centered learning. Future research is encouraged to explore other influencing factors and assess the long-term impact of faculty support in various educational contexts.