Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Joan Birringer-Haig

Second Advisor

Aliya Holmes

Third Advisor

Gordon Thompson

Abstract

The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the experiences that African Americans have in executive leadership positions within higher education. The participants in this study identified as African Americans, with a doctorate, who held an executive leadership position in higher education. The colleges and universities where the participants were employed were predominantly White institutions on the East and West Coast regions of the United States. A narrative research model was utilized to collect stories of the participants’ lived experiences as executive leaders who used positive psychology to overcome barriers within their positions. In addition, the executive leaders made connections to the leadership found in African American literature. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The implications of the findings were that African American executive leaders who identified their use of positive psychology recognized that it helped other individuals within their institutions to flourish in their roles. Reading and discussing the leadership in African American literature helped the executive leaders to reflect on and guide their own leadership practices.

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