Date of Degree
2026
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (LEPF)
Director
Summers, Kelly
Committee Members
Gibson, Lynn; Roberts, Patrick
Keywords
female superintendent mentorship
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine female superintendents' lived experiences with mentoring and the impact it had on their trajectory to the position. Thirteen semi-structured qualitative interviews from a phenomenological lens who are currently women superintendents in the northern portion of Illinois. The results of this study shows the impact of mentorship along the way to the superintendency, once in the role, and the need to pay it forward. Gender dynamics had an impact on women across time. Additionally this research amplified women’s voices, provided deeper understanding of women's experience with mentorship, and added to the body of research regarding women superintendent mentorship.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Maxwell-Aldred, Nicole, "We See You! Mentorship Matters: Female Superintendents' Experiences in Illinois" (2026). Dissertations of Practice. 129.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/129
