Equity, Identity, and Representation in Community College Leadership

Community colleges provide important access to higher education for many diverse student populations, yet aspiring leaders still face equity, representation, and structural barriers for women and underrepresented groups. Prior research highlights the persistence of gendered norms, gatekeeping practices, and underdeveloped leadership pipelines despite the increased attention to diversity within leadership in community colleges (Eddy & Khwaja, 2019; Hines, 2023; Burmicky & Hartman, 2023). This qualitative phenomenological study examines how leadership perceives the role of women and underrepresented groups in leadership. The study focused on the School of Continuing Education at Santa Ana College and involved semi-structured interviews with 11 leaders representing administrative, faculty, and classified roles. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework. Findings showed that leaders frequently associated women with relational strengths, including strong communication, emotional intelligence, and multitasking ability. Leaders also shared their personal commitment to diversity and representation, with each emphasizing the importance of leadership teams reflective of the community they serve. The findings highlight persistent structural barriers or gatekeeping and inequitable pipelines to leadership that still exist.