Date
12-4-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Sharon Michael-Chadwell
Keywords
Black female administrators, emotional intelligence, higher education, leader identity, leadership training, leadership identity development, leadership self-efficacy, self-efficacy
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Alarcón, Alexis Bacote Archer, "A Phenomenological Study: The Self-Efficacious Experiences of Mid-Level Black Female Administrators at Public Colleges and Universities in Virginia" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7676.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7676
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the self-efficacious experiences for mid-level Black female administrators at public colleges and universities in Virginia. Self-efficacious experiences were generally defined as a person’s belief in their ability to perform well in their role as a leader. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy served as the theoretical framework for answering the study's central question: What are the self-efficacious experiences of mid-level Black female administrators at public colleges and universities in Virginia? A transcendental phenomenological design using three core processes, epoche ́, transcendental-phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation were used to capture the lived experience of the participants. Participants who work or have worked as mid-level administrators at a public college or university in Virginia will be selected using a criterion and snowball or chain sampling. To achieve data triangulation, three data sources of evidence were used: interview questions, journal prompts, and focus groups. Data was analyzed through coding, categorization, analytic memoing, and theme development. Individual textual-structural descriptions were developed to synthesize the data, allowing for an examination of the meanings and essences of the collective experience. This phenomenological study provided empirical significance, raising advocacy for colleges and universities in Virginia to incorporate specialized training for mid-level administrators that addresses internal and external factors affecting the leader's person. The significance of the study could expand upon current ideas of self-efficacy, particularly for underrepresented populations, such as women and Black females, in higher education.
