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Herstory: a Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions

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Herstory: a Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 12-2019 Herstory: A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions Tanisha Jenkins University of Tennessee, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Recommended Citation Jenkins, Tanisha, "Herstory: A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2019. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/5781 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Tanisha Jenkins entitled "Herstory: A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Higher Education Administration. Dorian McCoy, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Norma Mertz, J. Camille Hall, Joe Miles Accepted for the Council: Dixie L. Thompson Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) Herstory: A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of African American Women Senior Student Affairs Officers at Land-Grant Institutions A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Tanisha Leverne Jenkins December 2019 Copyright © 2019 by Tanisha L. Jenkins All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION To my Parents and Family Jimmy and Shirley Jenkins Elizabeth R. Young Christopher Jenkins James A. Jenkins, Jr. The Late Florence Jenkins The Late Dorcas Jenkins iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Dorian McCoy for guiding me through this doctoral journey. I am also grateful for my amazing committee members: Dr. Norma Mertz, Dr. J. Camille Hall, and Dr. Joe Miles. A special thank you to my family, friends, mentors, and trusted colleagues. Each of you supported me, challenged me, encouraged me, and prayed for me throughout this entire process. THANK YOU! I am indebted to the amazing Black women who graciously shared their personal and professional stories with me. It was a privilege to engage in conversations with you and give a voice to your lived experiences. iv ABSTRACT Despite decades of efforts on the part of the nation’s postsecondary institutions, racial equity remains a major hurdle facing higher education institutions in the United States (Hylton, 2012; Jackson, 2000, 2001). Although Black women have participated in U.S. higher education for more than a century and have certainly made great strides toward occupying their rightful place within academia, they continue to face a myriad of personal and professional challenges (Burke & Carter, 2015; Gregory, 2001). Some scholars have resolved that existing literature has shifted from sharing the narratives of underrepresented women in senior student affairs officer (SSAO) positions to reporting in gender neutral ways, which leaves their unique experiences undocumented (Clay, 2014; Yakaboski & Donahoo 2011). The purpose of this critical qualitative study was to explore the experiences of purposively selected Black women in SSAO positions. The following research question guided this study: What are the professional experiences of Black women who serve as senior student affairs officers at land-grant colleges and universities? Interviews were conducted with 10 Black women serving in SSAO roles at land-grant higher education institutions, and four themes described the lived experiences of the participants: (a) outsider-within, (b) controlling images, (c) intersectionality, and (d) Black women’s standpoint – shared experiences. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 Statement of Problem .................................................................................................................. 4 Purpose of Study and Research Question ................................................................................... 4 Significance of Study .................................................................................................................. 5 Delimitations ............................................................................................................................... 5 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................... 6 Definitions of Terms ................................................................................................................... 7 Organization of Study ............................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2 – REVIEW OF LITERATURE .............................................................................. 12 History and Development of the Student Affairs Profession.................................................... 15 Women’s Leadership in Student Affairs................................................................................... 18 Black Women’s Leadership in Student Affairs ........................................................................ 20 Challenges Encountered by Black Women in Leadership ........................................................ 24 Discrimination/Isolation ....................................................................................................... 24 Double Consciousness .......................................................................................................... 24 Imposter Syndrome ............................................................................................................... 25 Ceilings and Cliffs ................................................................................................................ 26 Mentoring .............................................................................................................................. 27 Black Feminist Thought ............................................................................................................ 30 Intersecting Oppressions ....................................................................................................... 32 Controlling Images................................................................................................................ 33 Self-Definition and Outsider-Within .................................................................................... 35 Sexual Politics of Black Womanhood .................................................................................. 36 Black Women’s Love Relationships ..................................................................................... 37 Black Women and Motherhood ............................................................................................ 37 Black Women’s Activism ..................................................................................................... 38 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 41 Research Design........................................................................................................................ 41 vi Critical Research ................................................................................................................... 42 Participants ............................................................................................................................ 44 Gaining Access ..................................................................................................................... 46 Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 47 Document Analysis ............................................................................................................... 47 Interviews .............................................................................................................................. 48 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 49 Organization of Data ............................................................................................................. 50 Coding Process...................................................................................................................... 50 Presentation of Findings ....................................................................................................... 51 Trustworthiness ........................................................................................................................
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