Understanding the impact of informal mentoring on female mid-level community college administrators: an interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Permanent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20282313
Title:
Understanding the impact of informal mentoring on female mid-level community college administrators : an interpretive phenomenological analysis
Creator:
Moscariello, Dawn King (Author)
Contributor:
Sanders, Tova (Advisor)
Nickle, Sandy (Committee member)
Wellington, Eric (Committee member)
Language:
English
Publisher:
Boston, Massachusetts : Northeastern University, May 2018
Copyright date:
2018
Date Awarded:
May 2018
Date Accepted:
March 2018
Type of resource:
Text
Genre:
Dissertations
Format:
electronic
Digital origin:
born digital
Abstract/Description:
The purpose of this study was to explore how eight female administrators at a suburban community college located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States made sense of their experiences in informal mentoring relationships and the significance and value they placed on these experiences. Through interviewing these participants and gaining a better acuity on the feelings that each participant experienced by being a part of an informal mentoring relationship, the researcher was able to gain a true understanding of the impact of informal mentoring on these participants. A phenomenological approach of qualitative research was implemented. Data was collected through interviews with eight mid-level female community college administrators who revealed their lived experiences of informal mentoring. By following IPA methodologies for research analysis, themes were discovered, modified and adjusted to create four superordinate themes. The superordinate themes discovered during this process were: 1) Non-judgmental work environment 2) Self-worth and confidence growth, 3) Transfer of Power, and 4) Empowerment towards reaching goals. The themes showed that these participants not only benefitted career wise by participating in informal mentoring, but they have also benefitted on personal levels as well. Self-confidence, career success, professional development and leadership opportunities resulted from these experiences. This research demonstrates the need for more institutions of higher education to implement informal mentoring as part of the professional development of their employees and how this professional development could cultivate a more robust work environment and assist in succession planning.
Subjects and keywords:
administrators
community college
female
higher education
informal mentoring
social cognitive career theory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17760/D20282313
Permanent Link:
http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20282313
Use and reproduction:
In Copyright: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the right-holder(s). (http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/)
Copyright restrictions may apply.

Downloads