Latinas in Higher Education: A Phenomenological Look Into Their Journeys to Midlevel Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore the obstacles Latinas overcame to advance into midlevel leadership at their respective higher education institutions. A literature review indicated that Latinas and Latinos are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. Yet, they need to be more represented in leadership roles in Higher Education to mirror the student demographics. The conceptual framework of authentic leadership and resiliency theory guided this study. I used purposive sampling to recruit seven participants between the ages of 24 and 50, of Latin descent, and who had been in midlevel leadership for at least 1 year. Strategies to address the studies credibility included member checking, verbatim transcription, and detailed data descriptions. The data were analyzed using an open coding system, and findings were identified to capture the participants’ lived experiences. The data revealed that Latina midlevel leadership experienced imposter syndrome, gender issues, family obligations, and lack of support from leadership. A key finding from the research results was the importance of completing graduate education for Latinas to advance from staff to midlevel leadership. Finally, two Latinas from the study reported their advancement from staff to midlevel was happenstance, which was an unexpected finding for me. Addressing the obstacles discovered through the study is fundamental to supporting more Latina’s advance from staff to midlevel leadership in higher education organizations.