Publication Date

2022

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Nyunt, Gudrun

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)

Abstract

Creating uncertainty and stress, the COVID-19 pandemic and increased attention on racial relations, drastically changed how higher education and student affairs operated. For African American women, combatting racism and sexism has always been a daily occurrence in their professional and personal life but the pandemic heightened the challenges African American women had to overcome. This narrative inquiry study explored the lived experiences of African American women who were serving as Chief Housing Officers at Predominately White Institutions during the first 18-months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight how the intersection of sexism and racism shaped the lived experiences of the African American women participants. Participants encountered barriers when striving to lead authentically while feeling pressure to succeed in managing pandemic-related challenges, not only for their department but their institutions. Participants felt compelled to serve as voices for communities of color on their campuses while dealing with racism and sexism in their everyday professional lives. These experiences forced participants to re-evaluate how they were presenting at home and at work.Keywords: COVID-19, intersectionality, African American women, Chief Housing Officer

Extent

125 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses 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.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS