Women make up most higher education administration and faculty positions, but they are concentrated at the lowest echelon of the academy. As women attempt professional ascension, they face a double bind whereby there is incongruence between the social expectations assigned to women and the perceived attributes of an ideal leader. A review of the…

This qualitative research study explores the challenges encountered by five African American women who serve as high-ranking higher education administrators at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in Pennsylvania as well as how they contend with these challenges. This study also uses an Intersectionality lens to explore the intersectionality of…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of gender and racial microaggressions and how those experiences impact work engagement from the perspective of the Black woman higher education administrator. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Black women with current professional mid- or senior-level administrative positions…

African-American women have earned more degrees percentage-wise than any other group of women (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). Despite the success in earning degrees, African-American women are underrepresented in executive and senior-level positions across industries. African-American women are unique in that they represent two…

Women today are completing their undergraduate studies and entering careers during a time of shifting values, systemic barriers, and complex social environments. Undergraduate leadership development may positively influence women's leadership self-concept, which includes the incorporation of their intersectional social identities with their sense…

The purpose of this qualitative study aimed to explore the intersectionality for Black females through their experiences as leaders in academia. This research study was conducted to examine how four Black female leaders described the influences of race and gender on their leadership development in academia. A general qualitative approach was…

This qualitative study considers how gender affected women vice presidents of student affairs' (VPSAs) or senior student affairs officers' (SSAOs) professional experiences and career trajectories to gain insight into the influence of gender on all women professional's working experiences and ability to advance in the field. Although there is a…

This qualitative study examines how Black women mid-level leaders navigate the superwoman schema. The findings extend Woods-Giscombe's (2010) work by exploring the schema's impact on Black women working in mid-level leadership administrative positions at HWIs. A descriptive phenomenological study was employed to understand and describe the lived…

Despite the increasing number of women in STEM professions and higher education, they are underrepresented in middle management leadership roles. In these roles, they face challenges balancing multiple demands, especially in male-dominated cultures. This research used a life history approach to investigate the role identities of three female…

This research presents experiences and views on egalitarian women's leadership based on cultural wisdom, at three universities in Indonesia and Malaysia. The purpose of this article is to review the achievements of egalitarian women leaders, at three universities in Malaysia and Indonesia, who uphold the principles of local culture, as basic…

Male superintendents predominantly hold superintendency in K-12 public school districts in the southern United States. The research problem was the underrepresentation of female superintendents in K-12 public school districts. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how female superintendents perceive the underrepresentation of…

This study explores the underrepresentation of women in the public school superintendency, a role historically dominated by men, and examines the barriers and opportunities that shape women's pathways to this senior leadership position in education, as well as strategies they credit with helping them in their role. Using a qualitative,…

Women have been underrepresented, and even excluded from academic life throughout history. As countries look to address ongoing inequality in academia, state-mandated gender quotas for academic boards and committees have emerged as a recommended practice in Europe. Although an increasing number of countries have adopted this policy model, little…

The objective of this research was to explore the underlying reasons for the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in higher education in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Women's leadership is more prevalent in developed countries, while it is significantly lacking in developing countries. The KP province of…

The California Community College (CCC) system is the largest higher education system in the United States and serves diverse students. However, CCC's leadership does not mirror the diversity of its student population. Senior-level positions continue to be dominated by White men, highlighting the lack of diversity among leadership at these…