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Chapter 14 Poised to Shatter the Glass Ceiling in the Ivory Tower

Women of Color in Higher Education: Changing Directions and New Perspectives

ISBN: 978-1-78052-182-4, eISBN: 978-1-78052-181-7

Publication date: 7 September 2011

Abstract

As a Black Anglophone Caribbean woman, I present some reflections of my professional development journey, stemming from the early beginnings in my home country leading to the United States ivory tower. While many stories have been told of the Black woman in academe, little has been shared about the professional development history of the Black Caribbean woman who has made significant strides in US higher education. In telling my story, I begin with a snapshot of the history of experiences in my home country and in the United States since the contexts of these experiences influence how I respond to daily life's events as a faculty and associate dean at a top tier research university. After this historical portrait, I highlight some critical events that contributed to my transformation of self and ideology in the United States, how I came to terms with being a racialized minority in predominantly white professional spaces, and my approaches to the management of discriminatory and hegemonic practices in such spaces. Lastly, I conclude with some thoughts on how women of color can proactively manage their professional careers in higher education.

Citation

Alfred, M.V. (2011), "Chapter 14 Poised to Shatter the Glass Ceiling in the Ivory Tower", Jean-Marie, G. and Lloyd-Jones, B. (Ed.) Women of Color in Higher Education: Changing Directions and New Perspectives (Diversity in Higher Education, Vol. 10), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 303-324. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3644(2011)0000010018

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited