Education Commons^™

Community College Engineering Degree Partnerships With 4-Year Universities, Jeffrey Mark Stear

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing the number of STEM professionals and reducing inequities in STEM are national priorities. Community colleges are important to address these concerns because they represent a higher percentage of underrepresented minority (URM) and women students. However, students starting 4-year STEM degrees in community college have had a lower completion rate. Partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities have the potential to improve success for community college students, but more research is necessary. The purpose of this ex post facto, quantitative, correlational study was to determine the relationships among participation in different types of partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities, …

Personal Disruption Strategies Used By Latina Superintendents For Career Advancement, Dina Hernandez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe the perceived impact of Johnson and Mohr’s (2013) five disruptive career skills on Latina superintendents’ advancement to an executive leadership position.

Methodology: Using an explanatory mixed methods approach, this research studied the experiences of eight Latina superintendents in California. Data was gathered through a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Quantitative data involved collecting responses and calculating mean scores, while qualitative data was gathered through semi structured interviews. Combining quantitative and qualitative data allowed for an in-depth evaluation and the development of themes from survey …

Women In Leadership Positions In Higher Education: Challenges, Opportunities, And Strategies For Success, Maria Bowen

M.S. in Leadership

This research project is aimed to identify the challenges and barriers women face in higher education while striving to obtain leadership positions and provide possible solutions to resolve the gender gaps found in higher education’s leadership. A literature review was conducted, which informed questions that were asked in an interview setting. Interviews were conducted with leaders that identify as women in higher education and sought to provide personalized accounts of the researched trends. Ultimately, despite higher education being perceived as a progressive industry and having legislature in place to combat gender disparities, leadership positions are not reflective of gender distribution …

Supports And Barriers Of The Lived Experience Of Hmong Women K-12 Administrators Seeking Advancement In Leadership Positions, May Moua

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the supports of cultural, family, community, professional career, and mentorship Hmong women administrators experienced in their career path toward a high-ranking educational administrative position. Additionally, the purpose of this study was to examine the cultural, family, community, professional career, and mentorship barriers Hmong women administrators experienced as they ascended to high-ranking educational administrative positions.

Methodology: This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The researcher utilized a group of highly educated Hmong female administrators in the Central Valley, California area. This group of individuals shared their experiences of supports …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of African American Female Faculty At Predominantly White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Jasmine L. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological approach aims to understand the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American female faculty at predominantly White institutions and the strategies used to overcome barriers. The theory guiding this study is intersectionality theory, introduced by Kimberlè Crenshaw, discovering the multilayers of discrimination that women face and providing a template to encourage antidiscrimination. This theory adequately addresses the focus of this inquiry because it highlights the discrimination often experienced by African-American female faculty and the experiences of various individuals from the targeted population. This study's methodology was based on interviews with different African-American female faculty at predominantly White institutions. …

Casting A Critical Lens On Thailand’S Higher Education System: A Case Study Of Women’S Experiences As Agricultural Extension Faculty, Morgan A. Richardson Gilley, Richie Roberts, Kristin Stair, J. Joey Blackburn

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The agricultural industry and higher education have traditionally been male-dominated spaces in the developing world. However, in recent decades, significant progress in female representation has been achieved in both sectors. Previous research has suggested that women in the Southeast Asian agricultural industry have been more empowered than women in other regions. However, women in Thailand’s agricultural postsecondary programs have been understudied. In response, this study examined the experiences and perceptions of women agricultural extension faculty in Thailand’s higher education system. Through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with women, three distinct themes emerged: (1) gendered disparities, (2) barriers to success in …

Go On…Shatter It! A Qualitative Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Gender-Based Prejudices Of Senior-Level Women Administrators At Community Colleges Across Texas, Janene Marie Dotts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the qualitative transcendental phenomenological study aimed to understand the gender-based prejudices and obstacles and barriers for women pursuing senior leadership roles at community college in Texas. The Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice toward Female Leaders, plays an essential part in understanding how women were perceived when in a leadership position, guides this study. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and letter writing were conducted with 14 women who had achieved senior-level administration roles at a community college. By horizontalizing, reducing, and ultimately determining a composite structural description or substance of participants' experiences, Moustakas' phenomenological analysis method was used to …

The Stained Glass Ceiling: Women College Presidents In A Catholic Higher Education Context, Nicole Giglia

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Women are underrepresented in executive leadership positions across different industries, including higher education. The literature suggests that there are many gender-based barriers making it difficult for women to achieve executive-level leadership within higher education. Further, gendered organizations that promote the authority of one gender over another present additional barriers for women to access leadership roles. Catholic organizations are inherently gendered organizations given the Church’s exclusive male leadership. This creates a “stained glass ceiling” making it difficult and, in some cases, impossible for women to rise to the top of Catholic higher education leadership. This interpretive phenomenological study explores the experiences …

Lifting As We Climb: Effective Mentoring Methods For Black Women Who Aspire To Senior Leadership Roles In Higher Education, Janine Mixon

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 125,485 Black women earned a bachelor’s degree in 2019 in comparison to 70,909 in 1999. As the number of Black women on college campuses have increased, the number of Black women in senior leadership roles have remained stagnant. It is important for higher education institutions to find ways to increase the number of Black women in senior leadership roles because diverse staff and faculty not only increases students’ success but the institutions’ success. One of the ways in which colleges and universities can support the career advancement of Black women is to …

Women As Leaders In The Bourbon Industry, Candice Cress

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the experiences of women leaders who have made a significant impact in the bourbon industry. Specifically, exploration of the skills and attributes that make them leaders in the bourbon industry are analyzed. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) the influence of mentors on leadership development, (b) navigating a predominantly male dominated field, and (c) experiences of the women that lead to their current roles and achievements in bourbon. The results of this study can support women as they strengthen their leadership skills in preparation for professions that are more difficult for women to make an impact. …

Beyond Persistence: Increasing The Representation Of Women Faculty And Leaders In Academic Surgery, Dinah M. Frank

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

In demanding tripartite roles, faculty at Academic Health Sciences Centres provide surgeon training and patient care, while seeking discovery through research and innovation. The persistent imbalance of women in academic surgery has been empirically evident and an intense topic of discussion for decades, yet solutions remain elusive. There has been increasing analysis and scrutiny of the factors affecting women in this domain, while highlighting the disconnect between the current state and our affirmed belief in gender equity in both education and medicine. My Organizational Improvement Plan is focussed on the recognition and resolution of barriers and biases impeding the appointment …

Building A Culture Of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion And Social Justice At A Community College, Teresa M. Kisilevich

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

Over the past number of years, it has become apparent that Canada is facing a significant skilled labour shortage. As the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, the pressure to train and hire skilled trades workers has only increased; in order to fill the growing labour gap, intentional measures are needed to attract and retain a more diverse group of students. This organizational improvement plan aims to capitalize on a recent strategic plan and its central commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice. Through a case study focused on balanced enrolment by gender in trades training, this document considers …

Latina Superintendents And The Role Cultural Intelligence Plays In Their Leadership: El Líderazgo Inteligente De Superintendente Latinas, Cristina Cortes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the culturally intelligent leadership practices used by Latina superintendents based on Earley and Ang’s (2003) cultural intelligence scale. The four dimensions of cultural intelligence (CQ) are metacognition, cognition, motivation, and behavior.

Methodology: This phenomenological multicase study was conducted through interviews of four Latina superintendents of California public schools. The researcher selected a qualitative method because it would describe the culturally intelligent leadership practices based on Earley and Ang’s (2003) dimensions of CQ.

Findings: Close examination of data from interviews and artifacts yielded 221 frequencies for the four domains of …

Factors For Success Of International Female Doctoral Students In Science In The United States, Maria Patricia Cantu

Theses & Dissertations

Factors for Success of International Female Doctoral Students in Science in the United States

Many international doctoral female students in the sciences in the United States do not obtain a degree despite their large investment in time, effort, and financial resources. The loss of highly prepared and credentialed international female doctoral students, who have a genuine interest in science but who choose not to pursue their studies to graduation or switch careers due to real or perceived barriers, signifies such a loss not just for the women themselves and their families but for their countries of origin, their hosts universities, …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

Exploring The Underrepresentation Of Women Coaches In Canadian University Sport, Hayley Finn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Currently, there are disproportionally few women who hold coaching positions within Canadian university sport. To investigate the gender gap, this dissertation explores the institutional practices that inform women coaches’ working realities. Applying Smith’s (1987) institutional ethnography as a mode of inquiry directed the exploration towards the everyday practices and processes that inform experience, to better understand current barriers and supports in place. In this study, particular attention is given to social relations, which Smith (2005) calls the relations of ruling that coordinate activities and experiences of individuals within organizations. Institutional ethnography aims to explicate these relations of ruling by exploring …

Shattering Your Own Glass Ceiling: The Self-Sabotaging Behaviors Of Secondary Female Principals And Strategies Used To Overcome Them, Ashley Sandor

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female secondary principals and to explore the impact these behaviors have on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies used to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: An explanatory mixed methods design was used to uncover the perspectives of 10 female secondary principals in Northern California who have experienced career impacting self-sabotaging behaviors and to examine strategies that exemplary female secondary principals use to overcome their internal barriers. The quantitative phase included a 51-item online survey about self-sabotaging …

Housewives To Heroines: Continuing Education For Women At The University Of Kentucky, 1964-1988, Allison L. Elliott

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Beginning in the early 1960s, the movement for the continuing education for women (CEW) brought together a seemingly unlikely alliance of American activists, educators, philanthropists, and government agencies. Fueled by philanthropic funds, accelerated by the quest for “womanpower” to bolster national defense, and aligned with regional workforce needs as well as the personal goals of individual women, CEW programs pioneered new models of academic advising and student support that continue to influence higher education practitioners today. By studying the experiences of both administrators and students involved with CEW at the University of Kentucky, this study sheds light on how one …

Where Are All The African-American Women Superintendents In California, Oregon, And Washington State?, Toniesha D. Webb

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There are many African American women in leadership positions such as Assistant Superintendents, Network Superintendents, Directors, Principals, Assistant Principals, and Coaches. There is a disconnect for African American women in leadership and the highest position of authority in a school district. This leads to the question, what are the barriers, if any, that are limiting the amount of African American Women in the far western states to transition into Superintendent positions? In the reverse, what supports did the women who are superintendents have in their leadership ascension? Finally, what structures need to be developed and formalized in order to facilitate …

Leadership Journeys: Reflections On Experiences And Challenges From Women In Academic Leadership, Sarah L. Smiley, Andrea G. Zakrajsek, Kathryn L. Fletcher

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Although the number of women holding administrative positions in higher education has risen over the past two decades, the gender gap in academic leadership in higher education institutions persists. Barriers exist to prevent women from entering these positions, including those related to workplace culture and personal considerations. This qualitative exploratory study interviewed 38 women leaders in positions ranging from Assistant Dean to President at universities in a mid-west athletic conference. It asked the following research questions: How did they enter academic leadership? What were their experiences in leadership positions? What advice would they offer to other women considering leadership positions …

Leader Development Of The Health Information Management (Him) Professional, Theresa Jones

Dissertations

This study contributes to the body of knowledge in leader development by examining how higher education programs in a female dominated profession assist learners in developing person-related characteristics that support leader development. A ten-part online survey was sent to directors of health information management (HIM) programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). Results suggest an opportunity for improvement in the curriculum for development of person-related characteristics critical for leadership positions. In the interest of the progression of women these results should be taken into consideration.

First-Generation Women Students’ Perceptions Of Support While Enrolled In Higher Education Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Erin Blankenship Messmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study used qualitative research methods to explore the perceptions of support first-generation women students enrolled in college have. Eleven first-generation women students who were enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs across the United States completed one-on-one interviews with the researcher. The participants explained the support they felt from family, friends, and members of their college or university, as well as areas where further support could be given. In these interviews, key themes emerged, such as the roles of mentorship and emotional support, the need for financial assistance, the role of family in support and providing cultural capital, the …

A Comparative Case Study Exploring The Experiences Of Women Leaders In Academic Affairs And Administration In Higher Education Through The Lens Of Intersectionality, Johniqua S. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing concern about the absence of women in senior positions in academia and administration within institutions (Johnson, 2016). There is limited research to compare the journeys of women leaders in academics and administration. This study is an examination of women’s experiences of perceived barriers to leadership roles in faculty and administration. Using comprehensive interviews, this study explores personal accounts to emphasize apparent barriers to career advancement. The goal of the study is to explore women in senior positions in academia and administrative paths to leadership. The male dominated society has made it challenging for women to grow …

Career Progression And The Imposter Phenomenon: Experiences Of Female Student Affairs Leaders, Molly Belieu

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the experiences of women leaders who graduated from a student affairs master’s degree program, and advanced to positions of vertical movement to roles of increasing responsibility, wider influence, and greater accountability. Specifically, exploration of this progression, and the influences on their experience of lateral movement, including the impostor’s syndrome. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) the influence of relationships on career progression, (b) navigating the structures of higher education, and (c) experiences of the Imposter Phenomenon. The results of this study can support student affairs preparation programs as they determine the competencies necessary to prepare professionals …

Navigating The Murky Middle: Understanding How Career Aspirations And Experiences Influence The Career Progression Of Women Identifying, Student Affairs, Middle Managers, Lindsey Gilmore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Even though women have made tremendous strides in many facets of education, ascending the administrative and leadership ranks within universities at a proportionate ratio to the number of women who peak as middle managers is not one of them. In the past 40 years, the number of women serving as presidents of universities across the nation has increased less than 10% from 21.1% in 1975 to 30.1% in 2016 (ACE, 2018). If a woman does find herself serving at the helm of an institution, it is more than likely at a “private, liberal arts schools rather than at doctoral granting, …

Dames Paving Pathways To Directorships. A Study About Female Leaders In Art Museums In The United States, Mechele Manno

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine and describe the career pathways of female art museum directors in the United States

Methodology: This phenomenological study described lived experiences of eight female art museum directors with over five years of directorship experience from museums with operating budgets over $10 million and in states that receive the highest private funding: CA, DC, IL, MA, NY, OH, PA, and TX. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews using a scripted interview guide in research categories: a) motivation; b) career advancement; c) barriers; and d) support.

Findings: All major findings were …

The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Network For Women: A Mixed Methods Study, Stevara Haley Clark, Jenae' D. Harrington, Reshunda L. Mahone, Kristin L. Smith

Doctor of Education Capstones

Over the last 50 years, higher education institutions across the country have experienced growth in enrollment and degree attainment by women. However, despite the increase in educational merit, the representation of women in administrative and leadership roles within higher education is still not equitable to that of men. The Women’s Network, a non-profit subsidiary of the American Council on Education’s Inclusive Excellence Group, aims to identify, develop, advance, and support women in higher education at the local, state, and national levels. The Virginia Network is a state constituency of the Women’s Network that promotes women’s leadership in higher education throughout …

Student Retention In Higher Education: Effect Of The Campus Fitness Center On Women, Leslie Marie Gordon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Of the 3.5 million first-time in college, full time students who began college in fall 2017, 74% returned for fall 2018, with 61.7% retained at their starting institution. Covid-19 has negatively impacted retention; in addition to normal attrition, one of every five students did not return to campus in fall 2020. Researchers have gauged both academic and social factors that positively influence retention and note the use of the campus fitness center (CFC) as one social factor; however, women are less likely to use the CFC, are one third as likely to exercise, and experience more numerous fitness obstacles and …

A Seat At The Table: A Phenomenological Study Of The Gap In African American/Black Women With Nonprofit Executive Leadership Roles, Angela J. Griffin

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American/Black women leaders in the nonprofit business sector in the Pacific Northwest. The intent was to understand how their experiences of inequitable opportunities in the workplace prohibited them from attaining and retaining executive leadership roles. A qualitative, transcendental phenomenological approach was used to explore the career pathway trajectory for African American/Black women in the nonprofit sector, to capture the essence of their experiences navigating inequities along the leadership pipeline. To examine their experiences, critical race theory and social cognitive career theory provided a multifaceted viewpoint of African …

A Qualitative Study Of Mid-Life Career Transitions Among Evangelical Christian Women, Jayanne K. Roggenbaum

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the personal and professional factors that motivate evangelical Christian women to make career transitions in mid-life. Erikson’s psychosocial development (1980), Dweck’s (2006) growth mindset, and Fowler’s (1981) faith development served as the theoretical underpinnings of the study. The research sample consisted of five mid-life women who made at least one career transition in mid-life. Semi-structured interviews yielded rich and detailed information regarding the women’s experiences as mid-life professionals. The interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to determine emergent themes. Results of the study revealed that having a growth mindset, …