Does Gender Spell Success? Exploring Female Student Perspectives of Faculty at a Higher Educational Institution

The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of female students at a higher educational institution and to understand how those experiences shape their perspectives of female and male faculty. Additionally, this study sought to discover how faculty gender influences their interactions with students and the similarities and differences between interactions and the potential for student success as they define it. The overall goal was to better understand how female students experience faculty interactions and help to promote more positive outcomes for students through the supportive efforts of those who teach them. Data were collected using virtual semi-structured interviews. The collected data were transcribed and used to create themes. Study results revealed that students experienced distinct differences in interactions between male and female faculty. However, the female student interpretation of these interactions was found to be linked to the influences of gendered thinking. Moreover, how students interpreted success differed largely from its general definition. Students reported that success happens when people are happy and content with their place in life, and when people contribute to a worthy cause, a community, or even the world. Students also reported that positive faculty behaviors, learning passion and investment, and the ability to form student-faculty relationships were contributing factors to their success. Overall results indicated that while male and female faculty had varying strengths and weaknesses, students did not identify a significant preference among faculty members. Additionally, students did not view faculty to be a direct cause for their interpretation of success; however, faculty are beneficial to students' educational journeys, their learning ability, and their goals.