Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College for Community Health

Department/Program

Counseling

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Amanda Baden

Committee Member

Dana Heller Levitt

Committee Member

Kathryn Herr

Committee Member

Ebony White

Abstract

African American Women Descendants of the U.S. Enslaved (AAWDUSE) remain underrepresented within counselor education, despite their long-standing contributions to labor, caregiving, and leadership. This dissertation examined how AAWDUSE counselor educators describe their experiences within CACREP-accredited programs and how those experiences inform their commitment to faculty roles. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought and Social Cognitive Career Theory, this qualitative critical narrative inquiry engaged eleven AAWDUSE faculty members across varied academic settings. Using the metaphor of a tree, six central themes emerged that reflect the complex nature of their commitment: what it looks like, how it was shaped, and how it is sustained. These themes included Ancestral Legacy, Ties to Past and Future, Core Identity Development, Active Dissonance, Visible Expressions of Commitment, and Direct Micro-Expressions of Commitment. These narratives illuminate how participants’ personal and professional identities are deeply intertwined, offering a multifaceted understanding of faculty commitment that is historically informed, emotionally complex, and shaped by both internal values and institutional structures. The findings offer important implications for counselor education, the broader sociopolitical climate, and future research aimed at transforming academic systems and supporting the long-term presence of historically excluded faculty.

File Format

PDF

Download

Share

COinS