Date of Graduation
12-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Adult and Lifelong Learning (EdD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods
Advisor/Mentor
Kacirek, Kit
Committee Member
Grover, Kenda S.
Second Committee Member
Roessger, Kevin M.
Keywords
African American women; Career persistence; Cybersecurity; Diversity; Information technology; Intersectionality
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to examine the experiences of African American women working in cybersecurity, a male-dominated field. An intersectional lens will be used in the study to provide insight into their positionality as women of color in a male-dominated career field. The study will examine the stories of the women who persisted in the field and the existing influences or interventions that supported their retention. This pre-registered study will provide the framework for this study to be completed at the University of Arkansas. The researcher will use a descriptive phenomenological approach and semi-structured interviews to understand the influences or strategies that supported persistence in their chosen career. Purposeful sampling will be used to select 5-15 participants who will provide their lived experiences and share what factors influenced their decision to remain in their chosen career field over seven years. To examine how these women decided to persist in their careers, the following research question will be examined: What are the lived experiences and influences that supported persistence in Cybersecurity?
Citation
Jones Prewitt, M. M. (2024). Intersectionality and Career Persistence of African American Women in Cybersecurity Careers: A Narrative Inquiry. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/5597
