Female students face distinct challenges when pursuing an education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Those challenges are compounded when female students grow up in the rural American west. Through the framework of Critical Feminist Theory (CFT), this study looks to identify barriers for female students within STEM…

Since at least the publication of "A Nation at Risk" (1983), the United States has used competition and top-down approaches in seeking student achievement in the country. Twenty years ago, to create a pathway for the lowest achieving schools in the country to have a clear path for improvement, the turnaround school movement was…

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of Black/ African American women aspiring, serving, or having previously served in the role of Superintendent of Schools in the State of Texas. Additionally, the study investigated the perceived barriers and challenges that impacted the participant's ascent to the superintendency, and…

This study investigates the impact of gender bias on female superintendents' careers on Long Island. Despite comprising the majority of teachers, women hold a significantly lower proportion of leadership positions. The research employed a mixed-method approach with quantitative and qualitative phases to explore this disparity. The findings reveal…

Student ratings of instruction are used to elicit formative feedback to help improve teaching quality, however, due to their subjective nature they are vulnerable to implicit bias. In particular, gender bias, as framed by role congruity theory, has the potential to negatively impact female instructors more than their male counterparts. Changing…

"Aya: The Enduring Spirit of Black Women in Higher Education" is a research study that sought out to better understand the experiences of Black women inside of higher education. Building off of two previous unpublished research studies that focused on the resources that enable Black women to stay in their programs, this study took a more…

The purpose of the study was to identify the environmental and systemic factors that may be contributing to the underrepresentation of women leaders in the male-dominated information technology (IT) sector in the United States. The conceptual framework of internal business organizational environmental factors and systemic or societal factors…

African American women in higher education have faced challenges as they have sought to advance to a senior-level position. The literature demonstrates that African American woman has been confronted with racial bias. African American women have been described as too emotional to hold positions of authority or senior-level positions. Some…

In this paper, I lay the foundation for a broader discussion of the impact of sexual harassment on the gender composition of college majors. First, I focus on the rates of sexual harassment experienced by different groups of students and how these disparities can be understood through the framework of intersectionality. In the next paper, I will…

The issue of gender bias has been studied in many facets of society, including business, education, and leadership in general. Researchers and professionals working in the field have long had concerns over the issue of gender bias: if it is occurring, what does the rate and impact have on overall success in leadership? Women in upper-level…

Women of Color have a variety of experiences within academia, many of which are marred by the interstices of racism, classism, sexism, and the hetero patriarchy that upholds the structure of white supremacy in higher education (Gay, 2004; Pena, 2022). However, there is a legacy of Women of Color who have created and continue to create collectives…

Women in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations comprise 27% of employees in STEM fields (Martinez & Christnacht, 2021). Their participation continues to drop even when they reach the highest levels of leadership in STEM industries (Chrisler et al., 2012; R. A. Miller et al., 2021; Worthen, 2021). There have been calls by…

Existing research consistently indicates that Black girls are assigned disproportionately exclusionary disciplinary consequences such as, suspension and expulsion rates, surpassing their White counterparts and Black boys. According to the Report to Congressional Requesters, (United States Governmental Accountability Office, 2018), exclusionary…

Even though women have made progress in entering the workforce, they still face barriers to leadership. HiPo programs are a common strategy organizations use to develop their future leaders. These programs focus on equipping HiPos with skills and opportunities to support their growth and prepare them for leadership roles. However, little research…

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Black women employed in senior-level Division I NCAA football bowl subdivision (FBS) intercollegiate athletic administration. The study answers two research questions to understand how Black women in FBS athletics perceive their intersecting identities as influencing their career experiences…