Black women remain underrepresented in higher education leadership roles, especially in the college presidency. Since the middle of the 20th century, women have emerged as leaders throughout every field of human endeavor; however, their rise to the college presidency remains slow and steady. The number of women college presidents has increased…

The problem that was addressed through this study is the underrepresentation of African American women in higher education leadership positions in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore to what extent mentorship predicts the career advancement of African American women in higher education leadership positions in…

Despite an increasingly diverse student population across the United States, the alarming decrease in minority K-12 school administrators (Taie et al., 2022) demands immediate attention. This qualitative study aims to understand the experiences of three different African American school administrators, extracting insights and implications that can…

Under the direction of (Dr. Melissa Rasberry, Dr. Michelle Belle, and Dr. Christie McMullen) This study addressed the lack of understanding surrounding psychological safety in coaching dynamics between principals and coaches, specifically its impact on leadership practices in K-12 schools. Focusing on coaching relationships as a vehicle for…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how African American female principals describe their experiences of opportunities, challenges, and support with a focus on the intersectionality of race and gender in the Southwestern United States. The underrepresentation of African American female principals necessitated this…

African-American women face substantial career barriers when seeking ascension to educational leadership. Numerous factors contribute to career advancement barriers, such as systemic, institutional challenges, organizational factors, personality, and individual contributors. Various systemic and managerial aspects, directly and indirectly, were…

Since the passage of early federal K-12 school legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965 and its many evolutionary successors including the No Child Left Behind Act (2002) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) there has been increased scrutiny on low-performing schools and particularly their leaders. These…

Since their early days, community colleges have maintained a pivotal role as a provider of education to the diverse populations they serve. Over the years, these institutions of higher learning have been tasked with expanding access to education to those who had been denied even the possibility on the basis of race, economic stability, and a host…

African Americans have faced many challenges in higher education over the course of time, especially in leadership at Predominately White Institutions. To increase the ability for minorities to service is prominent positions Diversity, equity, and inclusion must be present. When comparing the percentage of race and gender leadership positions such…

"Jim Crow's Pink Slip" exposes the decades-long repercussions of a too-little-known result of resistance to the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision: the systematic dismissal of Black educators from public schools. In 1954, the Supreme Court's "Brown" decision ended segregated schooling in the United States, but…

Data and research show that institutions of higher education are increasingly diverse; however, faculty makeup is not as heterogeneous as student populations. Recruitment and retention efforts for underrepresented faculty are low, and job satisfaction of underrepresented faculty working on predominantly White campuses could suffer without…

Although Black women are the most represented minoritized group among U.S. higher education administrators, they continue to lag behind White women and men in terms of leadership in the student affairs profession, which may be exacerbated by their relative underrepresentation in graduate programs in education. Further, beyond generalized…

The study reveals the barriers and challenges of African Americans during their ascendancy to senior-level leadership roles. The study addresses the problem of racism and white privilege in higher education institutions related to the underrepresentation of African Americans in senior-level positions, specifically in Washington State community and…

While the racial and ethnic diversity of the United States of America's overall population (especially the college student population) are expanding at unprecedented levels, the leadership within higher education's Ivory Tower has remained consistent for the past 300 years. At the highest levels, leadership remains largely monolithic -- this is…

This research study was designed to add to the existing but limited literature that explores perceived barriers and challenges African-American women superintendents experienced while ascending and serving in the superintendency. According to the literature, African-American women are underrepresented in the role of public school superintendents.…