ABSTRACT Nichole R. Lewis, HERSTORY: EXPLORATION OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO WERE FIRST TO LEAD AN HBCU 1994 to 2014 (Under the direction of Dr. Crystal Chambers). Department of Educational Leadership, March 2017. There is increasing scrutiny and accountability being placed on colleges and university in American higher education. Historically black colleges and universities are not exempt from that scrutiny, and in some regards may face it with a higher degree of risk. The criticism and questions of necessity, validity and stability of HBCUs does not come without serious consideration of those who are selected to lead these institutions. This study explores the lived experiences of black women who were selected as the first women to lead three HBCUs between 1994 and 2014. This time-bound period was selected as there was a significant increase in the selection of women to serve as presidents of colleges and university, with HBCUs and community colleges experiencing the highest increases, as the governing boards of those institutions were selecting black women to take the helm. This qualitative study uses narrative inquiry to specifically explore the transition period into the presidency, the first 100 days in the role and the final 100 days in the position as permanent HBCU president or chancellor. Considering the conceptual theory of the Glass Cliff, findings are used to draw meaning from the experiences of these women, that may serve as guidance for African-American women who are considering a career path that ends in the presidential suite. The narratives explored in this study are the stories of Dr. T.J. Bryan – Fayetteville State University, Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber – Saint Augustine’s University, and Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy – Johnson C. Smith University, all located in the state of North Carolina. HERSTORY: EXPLORATION OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO WERE FIRST TO LEAD AN HBCU 1994 to 2014 A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership by Nichole R. Lewis March, 2017 ©Copyright 2017 Nichole R. Lewis HERSTORY: EXPLORATION OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO WERE FIRST TO LEAD AN HBCU 1994 to 2014 by Nichole R. Lewis APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF DISSERTATION:_________________________________________________ Crystal Chambers, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER:________________________________________________________ Grant Hayes, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER:________________________________________________________ Maxine B. Mimms, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER:________________________________________________________ Maria Clay, PhD CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP: _________________________________________________________ William Rouse, Jr., EdD DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: _________________________________________________________ Paul Gemperline, PhD DEDICATION Almost every year of my doctoral studies, I lost someone of great significance in my life including strong, confident black men (my uncle John Henry Lewis, my paternal grandfather James “Jack” Lewis, and my uncle James Henry Lewis) who never themselves ever even went to college but who raised and championed daughters, and in their own way contributed to raising and championing me, to pursue my path, to live life, to know my worth, strength and intelligence. Just before I defended my dissertation proposal, I lost my 92-year old maternal grandmother, retired college professor Barbara Baker Boardley, whose approach to life’s tough times was intuitively to “take a hot bath and lay down across the bed”. And as I was preparing to conduct my last interview, I lost a guiding light in Dr. Debra Saunders White- the first woman chancellor of North Carolina Central University. She fought cancer as she lived and lead-with zeal, vigor and a quick step that would make a way. I dedicate this to those whose transitions reminded me from wince I come; and to my 9- year old daughter Taylor Marie – so that she’ll know when you keep pushing – you can finish on top! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This was a journey I continually say to people I did not chose for myself. It could not have happened without constant support. I have to thank my mother who was “Mama” when I needed her to be and DBS when she knew she had to be. In the midst of her own life changes, she kept me moving, provided her resources, her experiences and her circle to literally make this all possible. She reminded me I could be a scholar, and a mommy all at the same time. To Taylor who was in this place with me, who was often on auto-pilot for full weekends, but at the end was checking for feedback and celebrating right alongside me. – love you best. I am so lucky to be “this chic’s” mommy. I have to acknowledge my sister and Taylor’s pre-K-teacher-turned babysitter who have my co-parents in this journey for the past 5 years, without their unmoving support, both she and I may have lost our wits. Thank you to my classmate-turned-coworker, and soror who moved through this with me. It’s something special to have a person who can celebrate with you as she is striving to reach the goal herself. I thank my besties who were already finished their journey and let me “be absent”. Special thank you to the members of my committee, Dr. Grant Hayes, and Dr. Maria Clay; to Dr. Maxine B. Mimms who saw something in me as a teenager when she made me memorize and recite a poem of Maya Angelou to prove she was my favorite poet before she would give me one of Dr. Angelou’s early books of poetry. I want to yell thank you to Dr. Crystal Chambers, my committee chair, who encouraged me and let me be candid and acknowledged that we could get to “done” even with life happening. And I thank GOD who helped me see a glimpse of some things, delayed others and removed the rest only for a time, only to reveal, as I came to the conclusion of this part of the journey, that He plans to give it all back – more abundantly. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE………………………………………………………………………………… i COPYRIGHT…………………………………………………………………………. ii SIGNATURE…………………………………………………………………………. iii DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………... v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….. 1 The Problem……………………………………………………………………. 3 Definition of Terms……………………………………………………………. 5 Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 6 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE…………………………………………. 8 Success Described for Black Males versus Black Females……………………. 8 Historical Context……………………………………………………………… 15 Pathways to and Challenges of the University Presidency…………………….. 17 Leading as a Black Woman……………………………………………………. 27 Theoretical Considerations: The Dilemma of Being Black and Female………. 31 Conceptual Framework - Glass Cliff…………………………………………... 33 Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 39 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY…………………….. 41 Overview and Purpose of the Study…………………………………………… 41 Participant Selection Process…………………………………………………... 43 Research Design……………………………………………………………….. 47 Delimitations…………………………………………………………………… 49 Trustworthiness………………………………………………………………… 50 Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 52 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS………………………………………... 54 Dr. Thelma Jane (T. J.) Bryan: First Woman Chancellor of Fayetteville State University………………………………………………………………………. 55 What She Walked Into – A School in Crisis…………………………..... 56 The Transitional Period…………………………………………………. 60 First 100 Days…………………………………………………………… 64 The Last 100 Days………………………………………………………. 70 Pivotal Moments………………………………………………………… 77 Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber: First Woman President of Saint Augustine’s University (SAU)………………………………………………………………. 80 What She Walked Into – A School in Crisis…………………………..... 81 The Transitional Period…………………………………………………. 84 First 100 Days…………………………………………………………… 87 The Last 100 Days………………………………………………………. 93 Pivotal Moments………………………………………………………… 102 Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy: First Woman President of Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU)……………………………………………………………… 106 What She Walked Into – A School in Crisis…………………………..... 107 The Transitional Period…………………………………………………. 109 First 100 Days…………………………………………………………… 111 The Last 100 Days………………………………………………………. 116 Pivotal Moments………………………………………………………… 119 Cross-Case Analysis…………………………………………………………… 122 Transition Period Comparisons…………………………………………. 123 Relationship with Board of Trustees……………………………………. 123 Leading as a Black Woman……………………………………………... 126 The Bryan Experience…………………………………………………… 127 The Suber Experience…………………………………………………… 128 The Yancy Experience………………………………………………….. 129 Lesser Visibility…………………………………………………………. 133 Lessons Learned………………………………………………………… 135 Staying Too Long……………………………………………………….. 143 Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 145 CHAPTER 5: THE CONCLUSION………………………………………………….. 147 Reframing the Literature……………………………………………………….. 149 The Calling……………………………………………………………… 149 Pathways to and Challenges of the College Presidency………………… 151 Black Men and Sister Presidents………………………………………... 153 Emerging Themes – Discovery, Media and Culture…………………………… 154 Discovery – The Not Knowing………………………………………….. 154 Phenome of Influence of Media…………………………………………. 155 Significance of Prevailing Climate……………………………………… 156 The Glass Cliff…………………………………………………………………. 157 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………... 161 Limitations……………………………………………………………………... 164 Implications for Future Research………………………………………………. 166 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………... 168 APPENDIX A: INSTITUTIONAL