Despite improvements in gender equity within higher education nationally, underrepresentation in women's leadership persists in Christian higher education. As women in leadership navigate the context of member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), characteristics of evangelical culture (e.g., theological views…

Over the past five decades, a gender stereotype known as "Queen Bee Syndrome" has persisted, portraying some women who have risen to leadership roles in male-normed organizations as being self-preservationist and individualistic, even to the extent of intentionally undermining the professional advancement of other women. Use of this term…

Although women are now graduating in greater percentages then men at all degree levels--associate through doctorate--the senior-level leadership on most postsecondary campuses in the United States continues to be predominantly White and male. Numerous internal, institutional, and systemic barriers have been identified that hinder women from…

In the midst of numerous global uncertainties, leaders are expected to have the ability to articulate a compelling vision of a preferred future that energizes and engages followers. In fact, Kouzes and Posner (2009) have argued that "Being forward-looking--envisioning exciting possibilities and enlisting others in a shared view of the…

An increasing number of published studies have drawn attention to gender disparities in various dimensions of Christian higher education. Although the majority of students on the campuses of member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) are women, and the percentage of women holding faculty and administrative…

Using a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2006), this qualitative study examined how eight female senior-level professionals employed at faith-based colleges and universities processed and navigated the experience of involuntary job loss and successfully transitioned to another position. The theoretical framework of psychological…

This article presents a discussion of the gender imbalance in senior-level leadership roles within the U.S. member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), highlighting data across the last two decades. The underrepresentation of women in this sector is placed within a theological context and is compared with…

This article is based on a 3-year narrative study that tells the stories of five women leading within the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). Women leaders are under-represented within this sector of higher education compared to other religious and/or private higher education institutions even though women comprise…

This article reports the findings of a grounded theory study of "defining moments" that were described as pivotal in the personal and professional journeys of women who had been identified as emerging leaders within Christian higher education. Analysis of transcripts from interviews with 16 participants in a Women's Leadership Development…

This article documents the continued gender disparities evident across U.S. higher education. While more women than men attend college and now obtain the majority of undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, women continue to be underrepresented in senior-level institutional leadership roles. This phenomenon is particularly evident among the…