Women face unique challenges in pursuing a doctorate, with potential barriers including Imposter Phenomenon (IP) and Multidimensional Perfectionism (MP). Intersectionality can intensify these feelings for Women of Color. Additionally, societal and organizational barriers hinder women's advancement to leadership roles, perpetuating stereotypes and…

Supporting the development of an antiracist identity in counselors could facilitate change toward equity, justice, and opportunity within the counseling profession and increase awareness of white counselors in working with clients of color. Understanding obstacles to and enablers of antiracist attitudes in white women counselors holds the…

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of first-at-institution female community college presidents in the United States, focusing on the social influences they encountered. Despite community colleges serving a large number of female, underrepresented, and low-socioeconomic students, leadership roles are…

The typical mathematical experience often prioritizes achievement with little regard for the emotional disposition of the student. Despite this relentless focus, overall performance in mathematics has shown little improvement. Additionally, the surge in demand for professionals with mathematical skills highlights a concerning disparity in…

This study explores the math identities and teaching practices of six female educators in Los Angeles. Through in-depth interviews, the study finds that math identity is a complex intersection of multiple identities, representation is important for encouraging female students to pursue STEM fields, and the Common Core standards provide a valuable…

Because the dominant narrative in the media around teachers is fixated on the burnout and unhappiness they are experiencing, this dissertation study explored the joy female Critical Teachers of Color experienced while teaching during the COVID-19 global pandemic. In this qualitative study, I employed both autoethnography and portraitures as a way…

This study applies critical race feminism theory (CRF) to understand the experiences of women of color (WoC) who are academic librarian leaders. This study explores the obstacles they overcame to achieve their leadership roles and the skills and assets they developed throughout their journeys. The research employs semi-structured, in-depth…

This qualitative descriptive study explored the lived experiences of Black women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) management positions and investigates the challenges within their career advancement and the influence of social support. Through qualitative analysis, participants highlighted the pivotal role of social…

This study examined the unique leadership experiences of queer women in collegiate recreation, focusing on joy as a critical aspect of their professional journey. Employing a narrative inquiry methodology, the research documented the lived experiences of queer women in executive-level roles, exploring the complex intersection of gender, sexuality,…

Bullying is a pervasive issue in higher education. The phenomenon of women bullying other women in higher education administrative roles is an understudied topic and one of increased importance in academia. The effects of bullying on individuals, particularly women, can be devastating and career changing. Understanding the emotional, physical, and…

Concussions are complex injuries with a variety of heterogeneous symptoms and neurocognitive effects spanning physical, cognitive, social, and emotional realms, with distinct differences person to person in symptom severity and presentation. Current literature suggests a disparity between male and female athletes in their concussion recovery…

Colorism perpetuates the same variables that drive the principles of racism and has led to disparate treatment, lower self-esteem, and negative perceptions within communities of color for decades. Since Black women are considered second class citizens, behind both men and White women, it is vital to acknowledge that their experiences with racism,…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how online female undergraduate STEM students at three higher education institutions in the southwestern United States described their academic self-efficacy in relation to the four sources of efficacy information. This study was theoretically supported by social cognitive theory…

The phenomena of connection, competence, and self-efficacy have not been explored in the context of an after-school girls club. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nine girls engaged in a quilting project in an after-school program for expressions of connection, competence, and self-efficacy using a feminist quilting…

This study examined how women second career teachers (SCTs) described the ways that previous work experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields influenced their teaching at a project-based learning high school program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five female teachers from different sites of a…