Date of Award
8-14-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Joe Nichols
Committee Members
Annettte Hux; Jackie McBride; Lori Winn
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2020 C48
Abstract
This phenomenological study highlighted the perceptions of female college graduates toward self-efficacy, career readiness, and persistence, having participated in a formal mentoring program at a public four-year university. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of the mentees toward the mentoring program. The sample interviewed for this study was female college graduates who experienced the mentoring program. Using a phenomenological approach, each graduate participated in an in-depth interview, and the researcher transcribed, coded, and synthesized the interviews to understand the shared experiences of the graduates. Some four-year public universities are struggling to recruit and retain students. They are also struggling to provide services and support for students due to decreasing state appropriations that affect their budgets. At the same time, providing support systems outside the classroom can have a real impact on the students’ perception of their ability to succeed. When given networking opportunities and peers that have shared experiences, the students increase their likelihood of matriculating with a sense of preparedness and social skills needed to navigate the business world. For females with few role models, this is especially important to boost their self-confidence. The overall impact of the program, having mentors and people who care, was the most significant finding. The mentors represented many facets of society and the business industry, so no mentees felt as though they were isolated by career field, color, or socioeconomic status. Seeing someone with whom they could identify with being successful may be the biggest impact. “If you cannot see it, you cannot be it” is a real challenge for females in a rural southern region of the United States.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Krennerich Chudy, Erika, "Perceptions of Self-Efficacy, Career Readiness, and Persistence by Female College of Business Graduates Who Participated in a Formal Mentoring Program" (2020). Student Theses and Dissertations. 378.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/378
