Preparing the Next Generation to Lead: a Phenomenological Study of Resilience Among College

PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION TO LEAD: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF RESILIENCE AMONG COLLEGE WOMEN PRESIDENTS

A dissertation submitted

by

Heather Louise Bigard

to

Benedictine University

in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Education

in

Higher Education and Organizational Change

Benedictine University

September 2016

Copyright by Heather Louise Bigard, 2016

All rights reserved

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are several people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for their support and encouragement throughout this process.

v  My husband, Phil, who has always been my rock of support and inspired me to dream and achieve that which I did not always believe was possible.

v  My daughter, Alexis, for her creative assistance in illustrating the phenomenon of resilience.

v  My family, who has motivated me to keep going and celebrated with me along the way.

v  Antonina Lukenchuk, who helped me to share the stories of my participants through the beauty of phenomenology. Her wisdom and guidance have been invaluable.

v  Mim Pride, who has been a mentor and friend and inspired me to learn more about my identity as a woman and taught me about true servant leadership.

v  My dissertation committee members, Sr. Marilyn Jean Runkel and Gary Davis, for their perspectives and collaboration.

v  My participants, for sharing their personal stories of resilience.

DEDICATION

To my loving husband, Phil, my amazing daughter, Alexis,

and my charismatic son, Dylan.

I will forever be grateful for your patience, love, and unwavering support.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES x

LIST OF FIGURES xi

ABSTRACT xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

Thinking Biographically 1

Rationale and Statement of the Problem 3

Research Purposes and Questions 6

Inquiry Process 7

Significance of the Study 7

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 9

Introduction 9

Pathways to the Presidency 9

Barriers to Women’s Advancement in Higher Education Leadership 13

Lack of Mentoring 14

Good Old Boy Network 15

Gender Bias 15

Cultural Barriers 18

Family Obligations 21

Women as Leaders: Aspirations and Factors Contributing to Success 22

Aspirations for Leadership 22

Mentoring 24

Leadership Styles 29

Theories of Resilience 31

Summary 37

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 40

Thinking Interpretively 40

Thinking Phenomenologically 41

Selfhood 43

Sociality 43

Embodiment 43

Temporality 44

Spaciality 44

Project 45

Discourse 45

Resilience as a Theoretical Lens 46

Phenomenology as Research Design 47

Participants 47

Data Collection 48

Phenomenological Data Analysis 49

Phenomenological reduction 49

Bracketing 49

Horizonalization 50

Clustering horizons into themes 50

Organizing horizons and themes into a coherent textural

description 50

Imaginative variation 51

Synthesis of essence 51

Validation Criteria 51

Researcher’s Self-Reflection 53

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS 55

Introduction 55

Introducing the Participants 55

Ann 57

Jenni 57

Carol 58

Nicole 59

Margaret 59

Sharon 60

Linda 61

Data Analysis Process 62

Bracketing 62

Horizonalization 62

Clustering for Meaning 63

Imaginative Variation and Synthesis of Meaning 63

Resilience: Thematic Analysis 64

Resilience as Response to Adversity 64

Overcoming barriers to professional advancement 65

Recognizing gender bias 69

Career advancement 72

Responding to adversity 73

Sources of support 74

Work-life balance 77

Resilience Shaping Identity and the Capacity for Personal and Professional

Success 78

Emotional intelligence 79

Self-actualization 80

Qualities of a leader 81

Personal attributes 82

Image and identity 84

Resilience Enhancing Meaning and Purpose: Being a President

Is Meaningful 85

Summary of the Findings 86

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS, AND

REFLECTIONS 89

Discussion of the Findings 89

Response to Adversity 90

Identity 94

Selfhood 94

Sociality 95

Embodiment 95

Temporality 96

Spaciality 96

Purpose 97

Project 97

Discourse 97

Recommendations for Future Research 98

Final Reflections 99

REFERENCES 102

APPENDIX A: Consent Form 110

APPENDIX B: Interview Guide 113

APPENDIX C: Codes Relevant to Research Questions 116

APPENDIX D: Themes Relevant to Research Questions 119

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Three Waves of Resiliency Inquiry 35

2. Participant Characteristics 56

121

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Resilience as a response to adversity 64

2. Resilience shaping identity and the capacity for personal and professional

success 79

3. Subthemes and their relevance to the research questions 87

4. Representation of the phenomenon of resilience. 88

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ABSTRACT

Colleges and universities are facing unprecedented challenges related to access and accountability, while its leadership pipeline is weakening. Although females outnumber males, in terms of student enrollment, the majority of college presidents are men. Gender inequity among college presidents, combined with the number of impending retirements, creates an opportunity for more women to advance to the presidency. Preparing them to effectively overcome potential barriers and achieve professional success can strengthen the pipeline of leaders.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the ways in which female leaders experience their presidencies and perceive resiliency as a construct and lived experience conducive to their success as higher education professionals. This study was guided by three research questions. How do female college leaders perceive and experience resilience on their paths to the presidency? What does professional advancement mean to these women? What are their perceptions of themselves as successful and resilient leaders?

Using an interpretive lens, new meaning was constructed from the ways in which these women described their experiences and perceived resilience as an influence in their own leadership development. The research revealed three dimensions of resilience that constitute the essence of the phenomenon as experienced by the seven participants in this study: (a) resilience as a response to adversity, (b) resilience shaping identity and the

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capacity for personal and professional success, and (c) resilience enhancing the meaning and purpose of the participants’ personal and professional lives.

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Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.

— Socrates

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Thinking Biographically

My career in higher education began long before I appreciated the role of higher education in our society and aspired to join the leadership ranks of an institution. I was a first generation college student with little means to fund an education and little guidance to embark upon the journey that changed my future. I began as a student worker in the financial aid office of a small, private, religious institution without any experience or knowledge about financial assistance programs. In addition to being provided the opportunity of a college education, I was also provided the opportunity to learn a skill set. I quickly became immersed in financial aid, admissions, business operations, and student services. Within a few months, I found myself supervising other students and coordinating the work-study program for the entire institution. It was then that I became a leader and began my journey into the profession of higher education.

Throughout my journey, I have been blessed with numerous leaders, mentors, sponsors, and colleagues who have taken an active interest in my personal and professional development. These influential men and women have come and gone, as intended, gracefully imparting their wisdom and challenging me to grow. I have been a willing participant in my leadership development, although admittedly, I have sometimes

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failed to see the potential in myself that others have seen in me. In the early days, I was completely unaware of my gender as a barrier to my professional advancement. Promotions came quickly, regardless of whether my immediate supervisor was a man or a woman, and I felt empowered. I naively assumed that if I treated my colleagues with dignity and respect, I would be afforded the same treatment. After several years of advancement and success, I became the object of gender discrimination when a man was hired over me for a position I was more qualified and prepared to assume. At the time, I denied that gender was a factor and instead I blamed academic politics. The experience was painful and nearly drove me out of higher education, but given my relentless determination to transcend all barriers in my path, I persevered. I left the institution for a vice presidency at another college and welcomed this new opportunity to further develop my leadership capacity. Nearly a decade later, after years of self-reflection and learning and experiencing gender bias, I have finally come to accept that my gender has indeed been a barrier to my success, including that initial event so many years ago. What makes a person overcome adversity, bounce back, or persevere? Resilience.

Resilience is a transformative process that enables an individual to overcome adversity by adapting to social, emotional, or physical situations. I have experienced resilience throughout my entire career and have expanded my capacity to overcome adversity. That does not mean that certain events or circumstances are less painful or that failure is easier to accept. Building the capacity to overcome adversity provides the knowledge from which to respond advantageously and garner the strength to persevere. Resilience has shaped my identity as a leader and has forged my path through the ranks of higher education administration. As a woman aspiring to become a college president, I wonder how other women have experienced resilience in their leadership development and how they perceive resilience to have been a factor in their success as a female president. This study explores how female college presidents have experienced their presidencies so as to create a model for other women who aspire to assume similar leadership roles in higher education.

Rationale and Statement of the Problem

Colleges and universities are facing unprecedented challenges in providing access to and maintaining accountability for the education that will provide future leaders with the necessary skills to compete in a changing, competitive, global economy. According to a report generated by the U.S. Department of Education (2006) titled A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education, “as higher education evolves in unexpected ways, this new landscape demands innovation and flexibility from the institutions that serve the nation’s learners (p. xi). The report goes on to describe higher education as a “mature enterprise” that has failed to adequately prepare a workforce that meets employer demands. Employers also report that graduates do not possess the necessary problem solving and critical thinking skills that are required in today’s workplace (Association of American Colleges and Universities [AACU], 2007; U.S. Department of Education, 2006). Higher education is critical to the success of our national and global economy as well as the social and economic viability of our society. Colleges and universities must adapt to the new demands to develop skills and competencies in the current and future generation of students that will prepare the nation for an increasingly competitive global future.

The primary responsibility for the changes that must occur within higher education is placed upon the executive leadership. Next to the governing board, the presidency is the top leadership position at the institution, representing the faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, board of trustees, and the community in which the institution is located and serves. As a public figure, the president is expected to embody the mission and values of the institution at all times. The president is also accountable to a full range of constituencies, including local, state, and federal regulatory agencies that have an interest in the institution. In this capacity, the president serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) and maintains responsibility for the overall health and performance of the organization. The president should also reflect the diversity that exists in present society and have a fundamental commitment to social responsibility. Furthermore, future leaders of these institutions must be skilled in leading organizational change efforts in order to effectively meet the educational demands of today and provide a vision for the future.

The makeup of student enrollment in the United States has also changed. Females outnumber male enrollment at 57% to 43%, respectively, and between 1990 and 2009, racial and ethnic minority student enrollment has grown from 20% to 34% (Cook, 2012). Despite the changes in the diversity of student enrollment, the race and gender profile of college presidents has remained constant over the last 25 years. The majority of college presidents are White males over the age of 60. Females continue to be underrepresented at the top of the leadership hierarchy, holding just 26% of college and university presidencies, compared to 74% held by their male counterparts. Although the number of presidencies held by women has grown since 1986 when it was just 10%, progress toward achieving gender equity at the presidential level remains slow (Cook, 2012). In terms of ethnic representation, the overall racial diversity makeup of college presidents has actually declined from 14% in 2006 to 13% in 2011.

The majority of female presidents serve community colleges, 33% compared to 22.9% at baccalaureate institutions (Cook, 2012). Other positions in higher education fare better with 49% of women holding chief diversity officer positions, 41% as chief academic officers, 72% as chiefs of staff, and 36% as executive vice presidents (Cook, 2012). Overall, only 25% of academic leadership positions, including presidencies, are held by women (Lennon, 2013). Equally disappointing, at four-year institutions women consistently earn an average of 20% less than their male counterparts (Lennon, 2013). Although the number of females holding professional positions in academia is increasing, barriers to access, including education, lack of academic teaching and leadership experience, lack of mentoring and support, gender bias, and family responsibilities continue to restrict the pipeline for women to persist to the presidency.

The pathway to the presidency remains unchanged. One-third of current presidents previously served as a chief academic officer (CAO), 70% served as a full-time faculty member, and nearly all spent their entire career in higher education. Fifty-two percent of women presidents have served as a provost, compared to 42% of male presidents, further illustrating that the academic path is the most successful route for women to reach the presidency (Cook, 2012). Although the path to the presidency from the position of provost or CAO has served as a strong pipeline, A Study of Chief Academic Officers of Independent Colleges and Universities found less than one-fourth plan to seek a presidency (Hartley & Godin, 2010). Further, nearly half of sitting presidents are looking toward retirement in the next five years. The lack of interest from the traditional ranks of academic leadership and the significant number of impending vacancies creates an opportunity for more women to be considered for leadership. This also serves as an opportunity to achieve a gender balance that is more reflective of college student enrollment. As Kim and Cook (2013) asserted, an increase in female leaders will only address gender inequity and will not necessarily improve the three percent of ethnic diversity that currently exists among women presidents.