Quieted Voices: A Phenomenological analysis of the experiences of Black/African-American collegiate aviation students
Presenter Type
UNO Graduate Student (Doctoral)
Major/Field of Study
Public Administration
Other
Ph.D. in Public Administration
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-1131-3999
Advisor Information
Angela M. Eikenberry, PhD
Location
MBSC Ballroom Poster # 303 - G (Doctoral)
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
24-3-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
24-3-2023 10:15 AM
Abstract
The aviation industry lacks racial and gender diversity; it is white-male dominated with 94% of pilots identifying as White male and only 3.4% identifying as Black/African-American. When factoring in gender, less than 5% of airline pilots are female (Lutte, 2021). Research focalizing the participation rates and experience(s) of Blacks/African-Americans in aviation is scant. The lackluster diversity issue begs the question as to why Blacks/African-Americans are continually underrepresented in STEM fields. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience(s) of Black/African-American collegiate aviation students so higher education and aviation industry leaders could make informed policy decisions and rectify inhospitable work environments, respectively. A phenomenological approach was used to capture the phenomenon via semi-structured interviews of 10 participants. Eight themes emerged: Communities of Support, Scholastic ‘Sink or Swim’, Social Isolation & Assimilation, Financial Need/Support, Socio-emotional Support, Institutional Cultural Competency/Sensitivity, First Generation(al) Student Pressure(s), and Gender Differential – The “Only”. The study discussed three major battles Black aviation students fight due to external and/or internal pressures, which significantly impact their collegiate experience and to a certain degree, retention. Further, being a Black woman or a “double only” in an underrepresented space such as a collegiate aviation program, yielded an experience Black males were unaware of and did not experience, but made the collegiate experience of a Black woman very different than that of their counterparts. A student’s involvement in a community of support (e.g., student organization or close friend group) appeared to be a notable difference maker in one’s collegiate experience(s). This study also highlighted the importance of socio-emotional support for students, which can help reduce instances of social isolation and assimilation many of the participants described. Ultimately, the study sought to unmask the complexity of being a Black aviation student and American in higher education, which has historically been an underrepresented space that forces many to assimilate to survive. The aim was to provide organizational leadership with a new lens rooted in social and racial equity to examine their organizations to make a place for Black Americans (and other racial minorities) within their organizations through policy reformation or implementation while also providing space for them to be themselves in said spaces without having to sacrifice their unique identity, safety, or (job) security to do so. Pointed recommendations on how to accomplish such a feat were furnished to both Collegiate Aviation Administration and Aviation Industry leaders in the discussion section.
Scheduling
9:15-10:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m.-Noon, 1-2:15 p.m., 2:30 -3:45 p.m.
Quieted Voices: A Phenomenological analysis of the experiences of Black/African-American collegiate aviation students
MBSC Ballroom Poster # 303 - G (Doctoral)
The aviation industry lacks racial and gender diversity; it is white-male dominated with 94% of pilots identifying as White male and only 3.4% identifying as Black/African-American. When factoring in gender, less than 5% of airline pilots are female (Lutte, 2021). Research focalizing the participation rates and experience(s) of Blacks/African-Americans in aviation is scant. The lackluster diversity issue begs the question as to why Blacks/African-Americans are continually underrepresented in STEM fields. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience(s) of Black/African-American collegiate aviation students so higher education and aviation industry leaders could make informed policy decisions and rectify inhospitable work environments, respectively. A phenomenological approach was used to capture the phenomenon via semi-structured interviews of 10 participants. Eight themes emerged: Communities of Support, Scholastic ‘Sink or Swim’, Social Isolation & Assimilation, Financial Need/Support, Socio-emotional Support, Institutional Cultural Competency/Sensitivity, First Generation(al) Student Pressure(s), and Gender Differential – The “Only”. The study discussed three major battles Black aviation students fight due to external and/or internal pressures, which significantly impact their collegiate experience and to a certain degree, retention. Further, being a Black woman or a “double only” in an underrepresented space such as a collegiate aviation program, yielded an experience Black males were unaware of and did not experience, but made the collegiate experience of a Black woman very different than that of their counterparts. A student’s involvement in a community of support (e.g., student organization or close friend group) appeared to be a notable difference maker in one’s collegiate experience(s). This study also highlighted the importance of socio-emotional support for students, which can help reduce instances of social isolation and assimilation many of the participants described. Ultimately, the study sought to unmask the complexity of being a Black aviation student and American in higher education, which has historically been an underrepresented space that forces many to assimilate to survive. The aim was to provide organizational leadership with a new lens rooted in social and racial equity to examine their organizations to make a place for Black Americans (and other racial minorities) within their organizations through policy reformation or implementation while also providing space for them to be themselves in said spaces without having to sacrifice their unique identity, safety, or (job) security to do so. Pointed recommendations on how to accomplish such a feat were furnished to both Collegiate Aviation Administration and Aviation Industry leaders in the discussion section.