Empowering Black Women To Lead: A Phenomenological Study Examining The Role Of The Ncbaa Institute In The Development Of Midlevel Community College Administrators
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Date
2011
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Higher Education Program
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Doctor of Education
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This item is made available by Morgan State University for personal, educational, and research purposes in accordance with Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Other uses may require permission from the copyright owner.
Abstract
This study was conceptualized out of my experience transitioning into a midlevel leadership position in a community college. In the beginning, I thought my reality was specific to me. However, the more I engaged in leadership development, the more I learned that my journey was not unique. This study explored the experiences of three Black midlevel women administrators who participated in a week-long leadership development institute sponsored by the National Council on Black American Affairs (NCBAA). Literature exploring leadership development for Blacks and Black women were examined. Literature focused on a Black woman's experience in the academy was also presented. Using transcendental phenomenology as both the theoretical framework and methodological approach, data were collected through journals and face-to-face interviews. The data revealed that culturally-specific leadership development shapes a Black women's continued leadership in community colleges. The participants' perceptions of the experiences at the NCBAA Leadership Development Institute for Midlevel Leaders created a confidence that transcended their subsequent existence in their midlevel leadership roles. The conclusions were grounded in theoretical implications, Black feminism (Collins, 2000), self-motivation (Maslow, 1954), salience hierarchy (McCall & Simmons, 2009), and daesin (Heidegger, 1927), that shaped a new theoretical paradigm, the pendulum theory. Black women have historically transitioned on the pendulumgiven the historical and social climate of the nation. The saliency of situations associated with midlevel leadership influences the swing of the pendulum; however, time (socio-political time or personal growth in time), determines where the pendulum lands. Each woman in this study created their individual path built upon common experiences at the Institute.