ERIC Number: EJ1318758
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Dec
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1938-8926
EISSN: N/A
"I Feel Like I Have to Be the Whitest Version of Myself": Experiences of Early Career Latina Higher Education Administrators
Sánchez, Berenice; Salazar, Cinthya; Guerra, Jennifer
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, v14 n4 p592-602 Dec 2021
Latinx undergraduate student enrollment has dramatically increased over the past 20 years. However, this growing representation of Latinx students has not come with a parallel increase in the number of Latinx higher education administrators. This dearth in Latinx administrators is especially alarming because students who are able to build mentoring relationships with faculty and staff of similar backgrounds are more likely to persist and complete their college degrees. In particular, considering that Latinas are one of the least educated groups in the nation despite their growing college-going patterns, the paucity of Latina higher education administrators, who can potentially serve as their role models and femmentors, is problematic. Using a Chicana feminist epistemology and thematic analysis, this study examines how multiple social identities, such as race and gender, influence the experiences of eight early career Latina administrators, and how these early career experiences consequently impact their professional trajectories in higher education. Our findings indicate that early career Latina professionals feel pressured to tone down their race/ethnicity; are impacted by their intersecting identities; and navigate the field of higher education. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Descriptors: Work Experience, Entry Workers, Hispanic Americans, College Administration, Women Administrators, Feminism, Student Personnel Workers, Racial Identification, Administrator Attitudes
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A