Although research has been conducted on the lived experiences of Black student affairs professionals and academic advisors at Historically White Institutions (HWIs), the literature is scant in its representation of the larger body of Black Professional Staff (BPS) and their experiences. BPS are undervalued and disregarded and are a vital part of…

Black female aspiring principals faced significant obstacles as they ascended to the principalship. This study chronicled the uncovering of the most common obstacles to representation, highlighting the importance of the findings. The problem explored in the research study was the underrepresentation of Black women as principals. The purpose of…

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) impacts professionals who assist others experiencing trauma. Assistant principals and principals help both students and staff members suffering crises yet remain an understudied population in relation to STS. This study sought to answer: what is the prevalence of STS in secondary campus administrators, and does the…

The escalating challenges faced by educators highlight the urgent need to understand factors influencing their wellbeing. Teachers in the United States education system are stressed, burnt out, and leaving the field in unprecedented numbers (Sparks, 2022; Camera, 2022; Zamarro et al., 2021; Dabrowski, 2021; Hill-Jackson et al., 2022). It is…

Teachers are leaving the profession at record rates, but the reasons that they are leaving and the contributing factors to their departures involve emotional and physical safety. This qualitative study aimed to examine the experiences and perceptions of teachers who have left the profession as a result of emotional and/or physical safety concerns.…

Black women who become school-based administrators are severely understudied in scholarly research (Lomotey, 2019). Studies suggest that Black women in the United States, who ascend into educational leadership positions, rely on professional training(s) associated with their employment and understandings accrued from inter/personal background…

This qualitative study examined the manifestation of work-related stressors that SAPros of Color who provide direct services and support to Students of Color working at a large, tier-one research institution experience. Additionally, this study explored participants' self-care behaviors and strategies used to cope and probed for potential…

This qualitative study examines how Black women mid-level leaders navigate the superwoman schema. The findings extend Woods-Giscombe's (2010) work by exploring the schema's impact on Black women working in mid-level leadership administrative positions at HWIs. A descriptive phenomenological study was employed to understand and describe the lived…

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus--COVID-19--a worldwide pandemic in March 2020 (Baker, 2022). Situated at a unique crossroads in that they are both social service healthcare providers and student support personnel, collegiate case managers and counselors faced the same abysmal odds as healthcare providers: an…

This study aimed to understand the sources of stress new school leaders identify and how that stress influences them and what coping strategies or stress management techniques school leaders employ to stay healthy within this profession. Semi-structured focus groups were utilized to elicit thick, rich descriptions of participants' experiences.…

Empathy is an emotional intelligence skill that has been known to make significant impacts in various professional environments. Teachers have always been expected to work at high levels in the midst of difficulties. Educators are constantly inundated with increasing workloads, added responsibilities, ever changing expectations and regular…

This research probed into women's challenges and biases in leadership positions within male-dominated federal government agencies in the United States. This qualitative Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology builds on Bishop's (2022) groundwork, "The Female Leadership Gap: Breaking Down the Biases and Barriers of Women in…

Student affairs professionals in four-year universities are increasingly reporting feeling overwhelmed, stressed, job dissatisfaction, and potential burnout, resulting in decisions to leave their positions. High rates of turnover in these institutions may hinder the effective management of student affairs departments. The majority of studies on…

Education is often thought of as the great equalizer that is capable of offsetting societal inequities (Holmes & Zajacova, 2014). Elite universities are characterized by the most selective admissions criteria, and attendance at these universities often provides access to the social capital necessary to pursue prestigious careers. Research…

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of female elementary school principals as they navigate workplace stress and personal well-being. Work intensification and subsequent stressors for school principals are not a recent phenomenon; however, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on…