Perspectives of African American and Latinx Women
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TRANSITION FROM EMPLOYMENT TO COLLEGE: PERSPECTIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINX WOMEN A DISSERTATION IN Education Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION by DAVID LESLEY GREENE B.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2006 M.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2008 Kansas City, Missouri 2021 © 2021 DAVID LESLEY GREENE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TRANSITION FROM EMPLOYMENT TO COLLEGE: PERSPECTIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINX WOMEN David Lesley Greene, Candidate, Doctor of Education Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2021 ABSTRACT Student enrollment data show an increase in the number of women returning to college after employment. Adult women returning to college are more likely to juggle other roles, including mother, spouse, caregiver, and community member while attending college. Higher education administrators have insufficient knowledge about what efforts are necessary to support these women once they return. This qualitative, post-intentional study sought to understand the lived experiences and the essential structure in the meaning of attending college for African American and Latinx women who return to college after working in or outside the home for multiple years. The details of the participants' experiences were analyzed through the post-intentional process of post- reflexion. This process allowed time to review interview notes, videos, participant journals, and personal observations to better explore how prior knowledge, assumptions, and beliefs impacted how African American and Latinx women experienced becoming and being college students. This study acknowledged the gap in the literature about the experiences of African American and Latinx women and added the voices of three African American and three Latinx women. Finding revealed saliency regarding (a) how participants’ experiences were fluid and continually constructed; (b) what experiences were cultured, gendered, and socially classed; and (c) what decisions participants made iii toward embracing the college community. The results of this study may be used to expand the way colleges and universities welcome African American and Latinx women and assist these women in their success. iv APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the School of Education, have examined a dissertation titled “Transition from Employment to College: Perspectives of African American and Latinx Women” presented by David Lesley Greene, candidate for the Doctor of Education degree, and certify that, in their opinion, is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Loyce Caruthers, Ph.D., Committee Chair Division of Education, Leadership, Policy, and Foundations University of Missouri at Kansas City Dianne Smith, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, Division of Education, Leadership, Policy, and Foundations University of Missouri at Kansas City Rodney D. Smith, Ed.D. Vice President, Access and Engagement William Jewell College Kimberly D. Johnson, Ed.D. Senior Program Manager, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs University of Missouri at Kansas City v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. xiii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. xvi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 Problem Statement .................................................................................................. 3 Purpose and Research Questions .......................................................................... 12 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 13 Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................... 14 Social Capital and Cultural Capital................................................................. 15 Student Development ...................................................................................... 17 Transition Theory............................................................................................ 18 Methodology Overview ........................................................................................ 19 Data Collection Overview..................................................................................... 21 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 22 Definition of Terms............................................................................................... 24 Significance........................................................................................................... 27 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................. 28 2. REVIEW OF THE STUDY THEORIES ................................................................... 29 Student Development Theory ............................................................................... 29 vi Belonging ........................................................................................................ 30 Attrition and Persistence ................................................................................. 32 Racial Identity Development ................................................................................ 35 Social Capital .................................................................................................. 41 Feminism Mystique of African American and Latina/Chicana Women .............. 46 African American Feminism........................................................................... 49 Latina/Chicana Feminism ............................................................................... 50 Intersectionality..................................................................................................... 52 Transition Theory.................................................................................................. 54 Institutional Factors .............................................................................................. 57 Emotional Intelligence and Academic Success .............................................. 59 Individuals’ Understanding of Transitions ..................................................... 61 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................. 64 3. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................... 66 The Politics of Gender .......................................................................................... 67 Women in the Political Landscape ................................................................. 68 African American and Latinx Women Identity Politics ................................. 71 Politics and Poverty ........................................................................................ 74 The Experience of Women in College .................................................................. 79 The Experience of non-White Female Students ............................................. 79 First-Generation Students ............................................................................... 93 Adult Learners ................................................................................................ 96 Systems that Support the Successes of Women .............................................. 99 vii The Success of Women ....................................................................................... 102 African American Women Success .............................................................. 105 Latinx Women Success ................................................................................. 109 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................... 112 4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 113 Rationale for Qualitative Research ..................................................................... 115 Phenomenological Approach ........................................................................ 116 Post-Intentional Phenomenology .................................................................. 118 Narrative Inquiry ........................................................................................... 125 Design of the Study ............................................................................................. 127 Setting ........................................................................................................... 128 Participants and Sampling Technique ........................................................... 131 Data Sources ....................................................................................................... 132 The Nature of Qualitative