Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Administration

First Advisor

Carmen Suarez

Abstract

An Abstract of the Research of

Ronald Daniel Reeves, for the Doctor of Education degree in Education Administration, presented on January 25, 2023, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

TITLE: UNDERREPRESENTED JOURNEY: THE WALL HIT BY ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR ON THE PATH TO BECOMING A POWER FIVE CONFERENCE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Carmen Suarez

There has been little to no research on Power Five Conference administrators of colors since the beginning on the Power Five Conferences in 2014. The purpose of this study is to examine the path, for minorities of color, to becoming senior administrators within the Power Five conference institutions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). This study will identify the similarities of demographics, enterprise, and background for current Power Five Athletic Directors of color.

In this dissertation, I present a look into the careers of senior athletic administrators at Power Five institutions and a plan of change for the future. The data was collected from surveys and in-depth interviews. These methods were selected to answer my research questions. For this study I interviewed minority Athletic Directors of color at Power Five institutions. I am interested in what the best practices within diversity, equity, and inclusion are and how to effectively impact the recruitment, hiring and retention of minorities of color with athletic administration. I provide implications for the importance of improving, maintaining, and creating change in athletics administration.

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