Education and Human Sciences, College of (CEHS)
Title
From Paper Dolls to the Presidency: A Collective Case Study of the Childhood Years and Life Experiences of Five Female College and University Presidents
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
12-2008
Abstract
The purpose of this collective case study was to understand how five female
presidents of small American colleges and universities perceived and described their
childhood years and the life experiences that characterized their career paths. Data was
collected through a series of semi-structured, open-ended, oral history interviews and the
review of personal and professional documents such as vitae, speeches, and publications.
Personal narratives highlight the people, places, and experiences characteristic of
each participant’s childhood years. The study presents a chronology of the life course
experiences characteristic of each participant’s career path and in-depth analyses of
turning point experiences and epiphanies. Themes, patterns, and meanings that emerged
from the data are described.
Within-case analyses revealed individual lifespan themes reflective of childhood,
adolescence, and adulthood. The cross-case analysis revealed that each of the five
participants excelled academically; described the characteristics of the era during which she grew up; explained her parents’ expectations for her to attend college; demonstrated
and/or acknowledged being confident and ambitious; and received encouragement for
administrative positions that eventually led to the presidency. The participants grew up
amidst changing notions about women, their roles and responsibilities, their abilities, and
their rights. The study revealed how each participant persisted and succeeded in spite of
personal and societal challenges.
A conceptual model is presented of the participants’ lives from childhood to the
presidency and the continual, interactive process through which their lifespan career
development evolved. The model accommodates the individuality of each participant
and her experiences within a particular historical context. The model supports the belief
that women’s developmental patterns and subsequent career development are unique.
Career development theories relevant to each case are discussed. Implications for
career development professionals and researchers; institutions of higher education; and
young girls and women aspiring to careers in higher education administration are
presented.
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Comments
A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Major: Interdepartmental Area of Educational Studies. Under the Supervision of Professor Richard J. Torraco. Lincoln, Nebraska: December, 2008.
Copyright © 2008 Regina M. Toman.