There is growing concern about the pervasive underrepresentation of qualified Black women superintendents, despite women significantly outnumbering men in public education. This study sought to shed light on the lived experiences of Black women superintendents in North Carolina. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to gain…

This study explored the experiences and contributions of South Asian Americans actively engaged in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the realm of higher education. The research question that framed this study was: What are the lived experiences of South Asian American DEI educators in higher education? Supporting…

Given the imbalance in the ratio of male to female ADHD diagnosis, there is a dearth of information on the profile for women with ADHD, especially in adulthood and with those of higher intelligence levels (Rommelse et al., 2016). Each, if not all, diagnoses of ADHD or giftedness come from a parent, teacher, or outside observer's scale of symptoms…

Muslim women are portrayed with a dichotomous image: on one side, as the victims of the patriarchal Muslim men and, on the other, as the violent associates of the Muslim terrorist (Maruoka, 2008). The act of head covering, the most visible Muslim-identified marker, has thus assumed an outsized space in research of Muslim women. However, while…

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to widen racial educational achievement and attainment gaps in the United States, reinforcing a need to understand how education policy can work to advance racial equity. Dual enrollment (DE) programs offer a potential policy solution that could increase college-going for these students as participation has…

This dissertation adopts a critical theoretical framework that lends itself to Black feminist theory and work-life border theory to examine the multifaceted experiences of Black women in leadership roles. This study draws its inspiration from scholars such as hooks (1981), Collins (1990), and Clark (2000), this research explores the intersections…

Previous studies have found that overall first-generation college students have lower levels of student engagement than non-first-generation college students in higher education (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004; Pike & Kuh, 2005). However, more recent research has brought into question the extent of these differences in…

The present study examined the intersection of sexual orientation identity, spirituality, and gender in queer male university students. Many higher education institutions offer a supportive, secure environment for queer persons to explore and grow into their understanding of self, resolving any potential conflicts arising from their intersecting…

Sexual minority individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and others; LGBQ+) have higher rates of mental health problems compared to heterosexual individuals (e.g., Rogers et al., 2021). Minority stress theory (Meyer, 2003) proposes that LGBQ+ individuals have higher rates of mental health problems due to the results of institutionalized…

The study examined narrative counter-stories of 10 Division I Black student-athlete experiences at the intersection of race, gender, sport activism, and mental health while attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the Midwest amid ongoing racial and social injustices throughout the United States. The theoretical frameworks utilized…

This study aims to understand and explore the lived experiences of six college access practitioners who supported a pathway program for students at an urban research institution. None of the participants in the study no longer work in college access. At least four participants explicitly stated they left their job due to burnout. This research…

This qualitative research utilized the descriptive case study approach to examine the lived experiences of twelve 1.5- or 2.0-generation Hmong American women who occupy leadership positions in public schools (K-12) and colleges (community colleges, state colleges, and universities) in California. It delved into their gendered, racial,…

Alumni of selective graduate programs, such as those from top business and law schools, have high lifetime earnings and are overrepresented in influential positions in society. Given limitations in nationally representative datasets, many existing studies of graduate school enrollment in the literature focus only on the United States and collapse…

This study examined the experiences of Iranian-American and Iranian female leaders within higher education institutions. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research actively engaged a cohort of 18 participants through purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews. Four research questions guided this study, highlighting the…

Equal pay day was "celebrated" on April 4, 2017. However, it was hardly a celebration as defined in traditional terms. The day represents how many days since the beginning of the calendar year women essentially worked for free. Women of all races and across all occupations typically earn 80 cents to every one dollar that their male…