Starting at the top: increasing African American female representation at higher education administration in the United States.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20194082

The answer towards increasing the presence of African American women in administrative and leadership positions is embedded within the complex organizational dynamics and social cultural of higher education itself. Through a comparative examination of relevant literature against contemporary (Post-Obama era) interviews/survey responses, we may gain further insight into African American women administrators (defined as executive level positions of dean or above) experiences in higher education. The following doctoral thesis presents a brief, yet poignant phenomenological case study of shared ethnic experiences, modern social identity, and higher education administrative culture for three African American women at various higher education institutions in the southeastern corridor of the United States. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore their experiences and challenges in higher education institutions in order to develop organizational leadership-based strategies to address them. In doing so, this doctoral thesis brings greater understanding towards breaking social, organizational, and representation barriers faced by African American women in higher education today.