Date of Degree
2025
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)
Director
Kortegast, Carrie
Committee Members
Jaekel, Katy; Hutchings Quortne
Keywords
identity-conscious; supervision, anti-Blackness; residence hall directors; Black professionals
Abstract
"Why Am I Still Here?": Identity-Conscious Supervision and the Experiences of Black Residence Hall Directors
Colleges and universities have prioritized hiring diverse individuals who hold identities that are representative of their student population. However, research has shown that colleges and universities have not been inclusive to the needs and support especially for individuals identifying as Black. Moreover, departments of housing and residence life have been identified as predominately White spaces. This narrative inquiry looks at the experiences of ten Black identifying individuals serving as Residence Hall Directors to better understand their relationship with their supervisor. Through two rounds of semi-structured conversations and a visual elicitation, four primary themes were identified. These findings were: (a) leading with identity, (b) diffusing power in supervisory relationships, (c) supervisors as institutional advocates, and (d) lack of authentic space. The findings from this research could be used to better inform training on identity-conscious supervision for housing professionals.
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
Teso, Lauren, ""Why Am I Still Here?": Identity-Conscious Supervision and the Experiences of Black Residence Hall Directors" (2025). Dissertations of Practice. 75.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/75
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Higher Education Commons, Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons
