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Nevertheless, She Persists: Women Leadership in Higher Education

Fowler, Christine Ann
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1554119734528149

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Higher Education (Education).
This dissertation focuses on the positive characteristics, both environmental and personal, of women in leadership positions in higher education. While women make up 31% of full professor positions at degree-granting institutions, Johnson (2016) notes that a disproportionately small number have reached the top leadership levels of these institutions. Research shows underrepresentation and bias toward women in leadership roles within higher education (Bain & Cummings, 2000, Johnson, 2016; Jones, 2014; Lennon, 2013; Pasquerella, & Clauss-Ehlers, 2017; The White House Project: Benchmarking Women’s Leadership, 2009). According to the University of Colorado Denver Women’s College 2013 “Benchmarking Women’s Leadership in the United States” report, the average percentage of women in higher education holding leadership positions is 24.53%; this number has remained relatively stable for the past ten years (p.13). For the fortunate few who achieve these positions, success requires a combination of personal adaptiveness and external support. Literature focusing on the positive characteristics of women in leadership roles is limited. In this study, I explored how women who were senior administrators in higher education drew from environmental and personal mechanisms to achieve success. I explored examples of women who currently occupy senior positions in higher education and discussed the characteristics that helped them to be successful despite the barriers they faced. Through basic interpretative qualitative design, I interviewed ten participants for this research. The interviews took place in a professional setting, and made use of semi-structured interview questions. Journal entries were solicited. The purpose of this study is to identify both environmental and personal characteristics that help women currently in leadership positions in higher education. This study examined ways in which women achieved success in their careers. Using gendered organization and feminist standpoint theory, this research applied a psychological capital lens to the findings. Themes were drawn from data gathered and grouped into three main categories: leadership training is important for success, support networks, and leveraging internal strengths. These internal and external characteristics were found to be important to women leaders in higher education. A discussion on the findings and their relationship to the theory appears in Chapter 5.
Peter C. Mather (Advisor)
185 p.
Higher Education
Women leadership; Higher Education; Psychological Capital; Gendered organization; women leadership in higher education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fowler, C. A. (2019). Nevertheless, She Persists: Women Leadership in Higher Education [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1554119734528149

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fowler, Christine. Nevertheless, She Persists: Women Leadership in Higher Education. 2019. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1554119734528149.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fowler, Christine. "Nevertheless, She Persists: Women Leadership in Higher Education." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1554119734528149

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1554119734528149
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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.