Women make up the majority of students enrolled in colleges and universities and positively contribute to higher education in various areas. However, despite their academic contributions, women remain underrepresented as critical decision-makers within higher education leadership. Fewer than half of the senior-level leaders in higher education are…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored African American faculty's lived experiences with White privilege in higher education and employment decisions. 15 African American faculty working in colleges and universities in the Midwest, Northeast, West, Southwestern, or Southeast regions of the U.S. participated in this study. Study…

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.- James BaldwinBlack women have always been in the forefront leading change and supporting the attainment of education in the academy. They have been the greatest hidden figures. This study strives to nuance the experiences of Black women presidents at…

The nurturance and development of the whole person should be fundamental to the institutional and educational goals of colleges and universities across the United States. However, for reasons that continue to elude many institutions, freshmen continue to struggle with successful transition to the world of academia otherwise known as the…

Faculty of color can experience an array of challenges during their professional journey in higher education. When gender and race intersect, additional injustices are experienced by faculty of color who identify as women. The research available draws attention to the discrimination, exploitation, and isolation faced by female faculty of color…

This qualitative interview study explored the perceptions of Black faculty in higher education regarding the influence of racial climate on predominantly White institution (PWI) campuses in the acquisition of tenure and promotion. The results from the analyses of ten interviews with Black tenured faculty from Big 10 and Big 12 institutions of…

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of African Americans who have leveraged their resilience to overcome barriers to complete post-secondary education. The study used a descriptive phenomenological qualitative research design, while the population studied was African Americans,…

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study is to analyze the demographic and program choice data of students who completed a study abroad program in the United States over a 10+-year period and to determine the impacts of those factors. The literature is well saturated with the benefits of students engaging in any type of study abroad…

The purpose of this research study was to explore the strategies African American women use to navigate systemic barriers faced in academia in order to attain and retain higher education positions at the level of academic dean and higher. A narrative inquiry approach was taken using Black feminist theory to explore this phenomenon. A total of…

This research study delves into the transformative possibility of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) within elementary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) classrooms. Born from decades of research on culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy, CSP aims to dismantle barriers, foster access and equity, and promote equality…

Through a lens of cultural capital, this dissertation explored the complex implementation of Section 504 policy in public high schools, focused on how school-level characteristics and the state-level litigious educational environment impact the qualifying rates of 504 plans. This study of the 2017-18 school year employed data from national…

This dissertation critically examines the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act) through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis, focusing on the discursive construction of the Act and its impact on educational opportunities for multilingual learners. The study explores the role of power and knowledge in shaping the READ…

In the Fortune 500 organizations, a robust survey illuminates the diverse experiences of women of color, framed within theoretical frameworks such as Critical Feminist Theory (CFT), Social Capital Theory, and Community Cultural Wealth. Of 141 responses, 102 participants, representing various racial backgrounds, provide insights into corporate…

While significant progress has been made in diversifying student demographics and entry-level staff and faculty positions, higher education leadership and decision making remain predominantly European American and male dominated. This dissertation explored this pressing issue by employing a critically interested grounded theory approach. Framed by…

U.S. policies such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and the Americans with Disabilities Act support the inclusion of adults with disabilities in all areas of employment. Through WIOA, the federal government required public entities to provide training and help job seekers with disabilities access high-quality, competitive,…