Epistemological Germination: Examining The Transformative Experience Of First-Generation Women Professionals In Community College Leadership

This dissertation seeks to examine the impact of the first-generation experience on women executive leaders in community colleges. The project included interviews of eight women in order to seek understanding of their journeys. Utilizing transformative learning theory and phenomenology to analyze the data, several themes emerged that highlight this experience. Examination of the research question from three facets were then translated into a three-article structure. First, the role of gender was examined where three themes emerged: the exigency of the call to education, the societal expectation of emotion, and the gender dichotomy in leadership. In the second article, the community college setting is highlighted with the themes of navigating the complex community college system, the unexpected career ladders the system provided, and the joy of serving a disparate population. Finally, I examined the first-generation impact and participants shared the role of family dynamics, their interconnected identities, and how their story shaped their leadership. In the concluding portion of the dissertation, I discuss overarching themes that emerged from all articles including the role of mentorship, leading with your soul, and navigating with your heart.