LGBTQ Mid-Level Administrators of Color in Student Affairs: Experiences of Support and Resilience

Existing literature provides an insufficient understanding of the lived experiences of LGBTQ Student Affairs Mid-Level Administrators and particularly from a strengths-based approach. This study applied a life story interview approach to the exploration of the support and resilience experiences of mid-level Student Affairs administrators who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirit and/or queer (LGTBTTQ) and a person of color or indigenous (POCI), using a theoretical framework comprised of the ecological systems approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), queer theory (Jagose, 1996; Plummer, 2005; Watson, 2005) and intersectionality (Collins, 1998; Crenshaw, 1991; McCall, 2005). Findings of this study include a wide range of resilience strategies experienced by LGBTQ mid-level administrators of color, and multiple sources and degrees of support supplemented, buffered, and countered experiences within higher education environments. Implications for practice include the following areas: hiring, advancement and promotion opportunities, creating opportunities to share their stories, the role of professional associations, and examining institutional culture as sources of violence or support