CAREER ASPIRATIONS VERSUS CAREER ACTUALIZATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EXECUTIVE LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN A STATE IN THE SOUTHEAST: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Despite affirmative action, gender inequities persist at institutions of higher learning in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions of African American women serving in executive-level leadership positions at historically black colleges and universities in a state the Southeast. Participants completed an online survey to provide baseline information on perceived barriers, which were derived from the literature review. Additionally, participants submitted curriculum vitae for document analysis and participated in open interviews conducted via SKYPE or telephone. Using constructivist grounded theory to analyze the data collected allowed the researcher to work with a less restrictive methodology thereby providing more latitude in data analysis. Data were analyzed to identify common themes. The results of this study revealed that few women hold executive-level leadership positions at HBCUs in the Southeast. Results suggest that personal and institutional barriers still persist, yet research participants have found techniques to successfully navigate the barriers. Detailed results, conclusions, and analyses of the research are discussed. Additionally, a discussion is provided for future researchers which includes tips on how to investigate this topic in the future for optimal results