Angela R. Wellman, in fulfilling the requirements for a PhD in the Graduate School of Leadership and Change, has written and published a dissertation titled Exploring Supervisory Needs of First-Generation Professionals Working in Higher Education.
As first-generation students enter the workforce, their work supervisors are positioned to influence their experiences positively. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine first-generation professionals working in higher education.
Wellman’s study utilized a web-based concept mapping methodology that employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The findings indicate that first-generation professionals have six need areas that supervisors can address to support well-being and success: (a) Professional Growth and Development; (b) Institutional Onboarding; (c) Guidance and Understanding; (d) Communication and Feedback; (e) Humanity; and (f) Cultural Intelligence. This study contributes to the field by identifying the unique supervision needs of first-generation professionals.
Wellman is the Director of Belonging and Education for Student Life at The Ohio State University. Her research interests are in cultivating individual self-efficacy, institutional access, and organizational development.
Read and download Wellman’s dissertation, Exploring Supervisory Needs of First-Generation Professionals Working in Higher Education, here.
