Stander Symposium Projects

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  The Effects of Gender on the Supervisory Relationship of Resident Assistants and their Supervisors

  Adam Schwartz

  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects that gender plays in the supervisory relationship that exists between resident assistants and their supervisors in the department of Housing and Residence Life at the University of Dayton. The main goal of this study was to see what kinds of effects gender has in shaping the way resident assistants view, interact with, trust, and experience supervision with their direct supervisors. The focus being to find out if there is a difference between male and female supervisors when paired with the same or different gender resident assistants. While studies like this have been done in the past, my goal was to see if there were any changes that should be made to the supervision model in wake of the #MeToo Movement. This study contains the findings gained from looking interviews with resident assistants on the University of Dayton campus, and the themes that arose from those interviews, concluding with the implications for future practice in the field of housing and residence life supervision.

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  The Effects of Individuals with Exceptionalities on the Family Dynamic

  Avery Leigh Bensman

  An individual who has an exceptionality has a mental or physical impairment that hinders one or more daily activities. Although some research has been done in this area, the impacts that exceptionalities can have on families is complex and unique for each family. Exceptionalities not only impact the individual who has the impairment but also impacts their family members daily. My research study aims to discover how exceptionalities can impact families and their daily lives, whether that be physically, emotionally, or mentally. Some of the areas that my research on families who have a member or members with an exceptionality includes the overall effects on daily living, stress levels, comfort levels, and the varying services provided for the individual with an exceptionality.

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  The Effects of Superordinate Goals and Superordinate Identities on Outgroup Liking and Aggression

  Emily H. Budde

  Understanding the roles of superordinate identities (SI) and superordinate goals (SG) in producing outgroup liking and reducing aggression, allows us to compare the common ingroup identity model and the ingroup favoring norm to understand intergroup conflict. SI suggests the need for an overarching identity that includes the ingroup and the outgroup. SG suggests the need for cooperative interdependence in which the groups are working toward the same goals. The study compared the use of these constructs to determine if one or both was most effective for establishing outgroup liking and low behavioral aggression, by exploring the creation of one group or two groups and cooperation or competition. Three participants were told that they were either a part of a larger "Group A" that includes three more members in another room or a part of a smaller "Group A" with another smaller "Group B" in another room. The group members were then told they would either be working cooperatively or competitively with the other group on an anagram task. Participants completed a behavioral measure of aggression and several questionnaires. Data from 132 (13 groups per cell) University of Dayton undergraduate students was collected. It was hypothesized that SG, SI, and the interaction of the two would establish high liking and low aggression. There was no interaction of superordinate goals by superordinate identities on outgroup liking and behavioral aggression. There was a main effect of superordinate goals on outgroup liking, F(1,125) = 8.22, p = .005, partial η2 = .06, and behavioral aggression, F(1,128) = 46.24, p < .001, partial η2 = .27. There were no main effects of superordinate identities. The results suggest that superordinate goals alone produce the highest outgroup liking and lowest behavioral aggression. Therefore, establishing cooperative interdependence between groups could help promote peace and prevent conflict in real world settings.

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  The Hyperreal Nature of the Trump Administration's Post-Truth Rhetoric

  Alexander Vincent Sharp

  Recently political rhetoric has entered an era that many scholars refer to as the "post-truth era." This is defined as a state in which the truth no longer has any bearing on discourse. Although many scholars identify post-truth as a purely 21st century phenomenon, I use the scholarship of Jean Baudrillard as a lens to interpret the post-truth rhetoric of the Trump administration. Baudrillard's prescient work is particularly instructive when analyzing post-truth rhetoric because he correctly identified many of the causes and effects of the post-truth era. First, I identify the parallels between modern post-truth studies and Baudrillard's work on simulation. Next, I use the scholarship of Baudrillard to determine the rhetorical goals of the Trump administration and analyze how these goals have changed over time. It is only with a clear understanding of how post-truth rhetoric functions that it can be effectively countered.

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  The Impact of First Generation Programs

  Emma L. Sule

  First-Generation students are often thrust into the world of academia without a firm foundation of what to expect. Students are left to navigate a world that their parents cannot even guide them through and must begin to navigate academia themselves while also tackling what it means to be an adult. The stress and lack of understanding associated with beginning this journey alone can cause students to lose a crucial part of sense of belonging developed in the early stages of being on campus. Some institutions have chosen to combat this issue by engaging first-generation college students in population specific programming meant to prepare them for college life and intentionally create that sense of belonging. Programming can vary in levels of intensity and learning outcomes may differ, yet often with the purpose to acclimate these students to the university. As more institutions begin to develop these programs while they grow in popularity, one cannot help but wonder the outcome that these programs play on the students involved. How does first-generation specific programming impact current first-generation students’ sense of belonging? Through a mixed methods approach, First-Generation students from Mount St. Joseph University’s First To Go and Graduate program provide data on their personal experiences related to the impact the program has played on their student life. Results demonstrate that First-Generation programs not only impact a student’s sense of belonging but their overall student experience. By providing such programs, institutions are able to better support this unique population of students.

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  The Impact of Legalized Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement

  Andrew Foster Labuda, William Andrew Melucci, Sam Garrett Orazen, Alex David Reilly, Tori Sedlmayer

  With sports gambling being legalized across the country, we expect sports fans to not only bet on the games but also engage more in the events. This could mean going to more games, watching games fully to the end, or even watching sports and events they would not have otherwise. This along with a variety of other engagement methods have already seen increases due to sports gambling. In states that have legalized gambling, there has been a larger economic impact than expected and teams and leagues are actively trying to see what trends they can exploit in order to increase fan engagement. Through a survey of sports fans, we expect to find a strong connection between potential gambling behaviors and fan engagement. We believe that different types of hypothesized gambling behavior, including Daily Fantasy Sports and live betting, will encourage fans to both become more knowledgeable about their teams/ leagues, but also consume more on a variety of sports. The study is currently in-progress and the findings will be reported at the symposium.

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  The influence of riparian invasion by the terrestrial shrub Lonicera maackii on aquatic macroinvertebrates in temperate forest headwater streams

  Michelle Little

  Headwater streams in the midwestern United States are an important ecosystem because they are home to key macroinvertebrate species and serve as the starting point for river systems. According to the river continuum concept, any terrestrial inputs to headwater streams can influence biotic communities and abiotic conditions downstream. Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) is an invasive shrub species prominent in the midwestern U.S. whose allelopathic properties have proven detrimental to local biodiversity. We hypothesized that increasing L. maackii density along headwater streams would alter the diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. Five sites located in Montgomery and Miami Counties, Ohio were chosen to represent varying L. maackii density along the banks of headwater streams: one heavily invaded site, two moderately invaded sites, and two reference sites (little to no invasion). This study focused on the EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plectoptera, and Trichoptera), which represent orders of insects whose larvae are known to be sensitive to poor stream water quality. The presence of L. maackii had a significant negative impact on the percentage of EPT individuals. There was no significant effect of L. maackii invasion on the number of families within EPT taxa (EPT Index). We noticed the greatest separation of these metrics as well as macroinvertebrate relative abundance between the heavily invaded site and one reference site. Seasonal effects do not seem to be a significant driver of alterations in EPT assemblages. This study hopes to show that the intensity of L. maackii has effects on macroinvertebrate health, carrying management implications. The results of this study suggest that land managers effectively manage L. maackii invasion so as not to significantly disrupt macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance.

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  The Multi-Sensory Design of a Synesthete’s Everyday Experience

  Madeline Murphy Spicer

  Perception—defined as becoming aware of occurrences in the world through the senses—is different for every person (Merriam-Webster 2019). My thesis focuses on perception in the form of a condition called synesthesia and the communication of this condition through the medium of graphic design. Synesthesia is a condition that involves the involuntary crossing of the senses, resulting in multi-sensory experiences every time a synesthete absorbs the world and specifically, visible language. Through the visible language of graphic design, I have created several projects that communicate my three goals for my thesis, which include conducting research on synesthesia, sharing what I experience every day as someone with synesthesia, and educating others about the condition. The results have come in the form of several graphic design-centered projects that developed from researching exhibitions featuring synesthesia and exploration of the senses, as well as many books written by neurologists, researchers, and designers. The projects include a storybook of discovery, research posters, and a visual song. They all utilize my visual perception of the world as a synesthete through transparency overlays with my colored letters on the text of the storybook and posters, or the song that is drawn how I see it in my mind’s eye. All of these elements have helped me begin my journey to educating others about synesthesia through researching the condition more in-depth and sharing my experience as someone with synesthesia.

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  The Nature of the Beast: Fossil Fuel Corporations, the Cornwall Alliance, and Climate Change Denial

  Scott Howland

  This project explores the relationship between climate change denialism and evangelical Christianity in the United States, focusing specifically on what Thomas Piketty calls, “apparatuses of justification.” In his work, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Piketty states that “if inequalities are seen as justified, say because they seem to be a consequence of a choice by the rich to work harder or more efficiently than the poor, or because preventing the rich from earning more would inevitably harm the worst-off members of society, then it is perfectly possible for the concentration of income to set new historical records” (263-264). The manner in which such notions become widely accepted, he argues, is not merely by chance; rather, it is through the concentrated efforts of government agencies, independent think tanks, popular media, etc. that these ideas become ingrained in the collective consciousness of a society. This paper argues that the characteristics of “apparatuses of justification” also apply to organizations that promote climate change denialism and examines the Cornwall Alliance as one specific example of an apparatus of justification manifest within the context of American evangelical Christianity.

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  The Necessity of Indigenous Feminisms in the Mainstream Feminist Movement

  Bailey N. Johnson

  Patriarchal and colonial structures have dominated North American society for centuries, consistently predicting the outcomes of lived experiences for marginalized groups. Over time, collective efforts within society have come to challenge these structures, including the contemporary feminist movement as well as decolonization efforts, respectfully. What has often been ignored within the mainstream feminist movement, however, is the interconnected nature of patriarchy with other oppressive structures, such as colonialism. This has resulted in a clear lack of identity of many in today’s world with the feminist label, despite adhering to sentiments of gender equity. Additionally, numerous other varieties of feminist scholarship and activism have emerged, seeking to ameliorate many of the existing gaps in mainstream feminism, including indigenous feminisms. Thus, I argue that as the mainstream feminist movement progresses in the contemporary moment, it is imperative that it make space for other feminisms which have sought to address many of its own gaps, specifically, indigenous feminism. The purpose of this would not only be to create more identity with the movement, but to develop tools for feminists to critically consider the binding connection between patriarchy and colonialism in ways that serves the overarching feminist goal of uprooting patriarchy.

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  The perceptions and knowledge of concussions among collegiate intramural athletes at the University of Dayton.

  Kathryn Marie Grismer, Zachary J. Krohn, Tommy Kevin Lee, Christopher Michael McMaster

  Many students at the University of Dayton participate in intramural sports of all kinds. One topic that is growing rapidly in the health and sports world is concussion. Concussions can be diagnosed or undiagnosed but exist either way. The purpose of our study is to survey students across the University of Dayton who participate in intramural sports and understand their perceptions and knowledge of concussions. We expect that the intramural athletes will be less worried than collegiate and professional athletes to sustain a concussion because intramural sports are typically for recreational purpose. We also expect students to be less worried about returning to their sport after sustaining a concussion because there is a less intense approach to intramural sports. We hope to raise more awareness among students about concussions in intramural sports and possibly spark more research of concussions in intramural sports.

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  The Potential for Dayton, Ohio, to Become a Human Rights City: A Look at SDG 3

  Alyssa Marie Miller

  One of the biggest takeaways from attending UD is learning about a wide range of social justice issues in the world and how they connect to Dayton. Gathering data to strengthen the possibility of Dayton becoming a Human Rights City gives me the experience and confidence in effectively participating in social justice issues beyond the Dayton area.

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  The Potential of Biomass Derived Fusel Alcohol Mixtures for Improved Engine Performance

  Lily Carolyn Behnke

  The use of biomass derived fusel alcohol mixtures as a blending agent with gasoline has the potential to lower the greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles. In this work, a computational approach based on experimental data was utilized to predict the properties of a multitude of fusel blends at various blending percentages with gasoline. Fusel blends composed of isobutanol, isopentanol, 2-phenyl ethanol, and ethanol are demonstrated to provide comparable efficiency gains, increased energy density, and lower Reid vapor pressure values than ethanol when blended with gasoline. The results were analyzed on the basis of the potential efficiency increase of blends at 10%, 20%, and 30% by volume into a gasoline base fuel, and demonstrate that fusel blends have the opportunity to be optimized to maximize efficiency gain while minimizing increases to blending vapor pressure and decreases to energy density. Random forest regression analysis was used to describe the relative importance of the fusel blends regarding properties of interest. Furthermore, ordinary least squares analysis was performed to indicate each fusel alcohol’s positive or negative impact on the merit score. With the objective of implementing renewable fuel sources into gasoline, fusel blends can be used as a solution to further improve upon the overall performance of gasolines.

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  The Relationship among Social Media Use, Media Literacy and Anxiety

  Anthony A. Dalpiaz

  Anxiety is on the rise in the world today. The American College Health Association (2018) surveyed 31,463 college students and found that 60.9% of the respondents had experienced overwhelming anxiety at some point within the last 12 months. This study examined the relationship between media literacy and anxiety levels in first-year college students who are high social media users

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  The Relationship Between Catholic Men and How They View and Practice Masculinity

  Caleb Negron

  Men are entering college spaces with the assumption that they have to model their behavior in a specific way. Their gender identity is attached to a set of masculine norms and expectations that influences their interpersonal relationship as well as how they perceive themselves. Recognizing that masculinity is a nuanced phenomenon and intersects with many dimensions of identity, this qualitative study is focused on the role of the Catholic faith and its influence on masculine behavior. Current studies addressed other dimensions of masculinity, but religion specifically Catholicism was limited. This study’s purpose is to unveil male narratives from the Catholic community. Nine Catholic men were interviewed to share their narratives and perspectives on masculinity and how they navigated the gender expectations as well as their own faith in the context of a Catholic institution. They described their perspective on what masculinity means on the societal level, what masculinity personally looks like to them in their faith, and how the university context influences their understanding of masculine norms. The themes discovered from the men’s narrative were a deep understanding of self, reflection, prior experience practicing vulnerability, and a belief in loving others as Christ did. These men desired and were prepared for more in-depth conversations. Vulnerability was the norm in their community but found that men outside of their immediate group struggled to do so. Given the context of a Catholic institution, understanding that these men of faith have the capacity to engage in complex topics and look to engage other men in the conversations can prove useful in addressing masculinity. Utilizing other male peers to address the issue through both the lens of faith and beyond can create multiple safe spaces across campus.

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  Thermal Impact of BFRP and GFRP Reinforced Concrete Beams

  Hao Dong

  This study describes a series of experiments examining the thermal damage of twelve concrete beams reinforced with Basalt and Glass FRP rebars. The 6-in by 6-in by 24-in BFRP/GFRP reinforced beams (single layered, two rebars) were molded with a 1.5-in concrete cover and exposed to heat for 30 minutes using a radiant heater with 54 kW/m² heat flux. Thermocouples were used to measure temperatures across the thickness of the beams. A three-point bending test was conducted 24 hours after heat exposure, and digital image correlation (DIC) system was used to analyze the displacements, strains’ distributions and crack propagations. There was no certain evidence to show that moment capacity reduction would occur after heat exposure under this scenario. A 1.5- in concrete cover is sufficient to protect the FRP rebars, and 30 minutes thermal exposure is recommended as incremental period for future research.

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  The Role of Father Involvement and Neighborhood Disadvantage on Children’s Developmental Outcomes

  Sebastian Jose Maldonado

  A positive father-child relationship is thought to make a significant impact on multiple domains of child and adolescent development. According to previous research by Keown and colleagues (2018), fathers’ involvement in children’s lives can help promote positive child and adolescent outcomes. Neighborhood conditions have also been found to be a predictor of children’s developmental outcomes. This study focuses on how father involvement as well as the neighborhood environment are related to children’s social and emotional well-being. The current study hypothesized that a positive father-child relationship will predict better child outcomes, especially in disadvantaged neighborhood environments. Hypotheses will be tested using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1979.

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  The Role of Propionate During the Interactions Between Macrophages and Listeria monocytogenes

  Leah Allen, Stephanie Johnson

  The human gut microbiome is recognized as an important contributor to human health. The functional roles of the gut microbiome are under active investigation to increase our knowledge in human biology and develop novel therapeutics. For example, gut microbes produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have demonstrated regulatory and nutritional functions in the intestines and peripheral organs. However, how SCFAs contribute to defense against infectious diseases is less understood. Therefore, the overarching goal of our research is to determine the roles of SCFAs during host-pathogen interactions. More specifically, we are investigating how exposure to propionate, a key SCFA found in humans, affects the outcome of Listeria monocytogenes infections in macrophages. L. monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen transmitted through contaminated food. In high risk individuals, infections may become life-threatening. One unique aspect of L. monocytogenes that allows the bacterium to act as a human pathogen is its ability to grow inside macrophages without elimination by the antimicrobial arsenal deployed by the macrophages. Therefore, strategies that can compromise the bacterial intracellular growth or strengthen the antimicrobial capacity of macrophages can potentially protect individuals from L. monocytogenes infections. In this study, we investigated how propionate affects nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, and elimination of intracellular L. monocytogenes in a cell culture model of infection. We found that propionate-treated macrophages, compared to non-treated controls, exhibited a significantly higher phagocytic activity. Moreover, activated macrophages produced decreasing levels of nitric oxide after exposure to increasing levels of propionate. Finally, the presence of propionate during infection resulted in a significantly lower intracellular bacterial numbers. Together, these results suggest that the presence of propionate can alter macrophage functions that lead to restriction of L. monocytogenes intracellular growth, an observation that will need to be further investigated to develop strategies to protect individuals from L. monocytogenes infections.

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  The Safety Impact of Raising Speed Limit on Rural Freeways in Ohio

  Oluwaseun Olufowobi

  The impacts of raised speed limits on traffic safety is an area that has generated much research, although a strong consensus has not emerged on the relationship between speed and safety. In response to the nationwide ongoing trend of raising speed limits, led to the implementation of the 70-mph speed limit on 570 miles of rural freeways in Ohio on July 1, 2013 and an additional 398 miles of rural freeways starting on September 29, 2013. The primary goal of the research detailed in this study is to investigate the safety impacts of this new speed limit using available crash, roadway, and traffic characteristics data. Statewide crash data from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018 were obtained from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS). The study utilizes the empirical Bayes before-after study method. The intent of this method is to estimate the actual performance (in terms of crash frequency and severity) following the speed limit Increase and what the performance would have been if the increase in speed limit had not been applied.

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  The SBA B.E.S.S.T. Program: Business Experience Silicon Valley & San Francisco Today

  Laurel Aug, Liliana Capelli, Katie Dirocco, Morgan Frantz, Emma Hughes, Lauren Kastelic, Amira Learst-Ahmed, Mallory Mcavoy

  Follow students through a business and cultural experience where students worked hard to prepare for meeting professionals and their organizations with a rigorous and well-planned orientation of these leaders and their companies by faculty and each other. See companies and company culture in some of the most interesting companies (Google, LinkedIn, SalesForce, Facebook, Dun & Bradstreet, and more!) and scenery and experiences in San Francisco and more! A very comprehensive and aggressive itinerary included 6 days consisting of company visits and events with a good deal of student reflection and collaborations and meetings with alumni leaders, company visits, events with professionals, and other excursions. Come learn more about this Intersession Program!

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  The Shipwreck of the W.R. Hanna: The Significance of Scow Schooners in Lake Erie following the War of 1812

  Cassady Calder

  Lake Erie is not commonly known for its shipwrecks, yet it is one of the most shipwreck dense areas in the world, and many of the wrecks remain undiscovered. This poster session will present research that was conducted for the Ohio History Connection on the shipwreck of the W.R. Hanna. This research was in anticipation of attempting to register the wreck with the National Registry of Historic Places. The session will cover what makes the wreck of the W.R. Hanna significant as well as discuss its contributions to industry on Lake Erie. Small lake-shoring craft, while less dramatic and famous than their larger counterparts, were more important to the economy of Ohio after the release of British control on the lakes following the war of 1812. These smaller crafts deserve their places in the annals of history and this research speaks to their value in the landscape of the Great Lakes.

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  The Social Emotional Learning Language Arts (SELLA) Curriculum: A Qualitative Evaluation of Implementation

  Taylor L. Wohlgamuth

  Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which students incorporate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively with life’s daily obstacles (CASEL, 2019). Social and emotional skills are predictors of school success; thus, schools are increasingly looking for ways to develop students’ social-emotional skills. SEL programs can have a long-term impact behaviorally and academically. Most SEL programs are implemented in after-school programs or added on to schools’ pre-existing daily curricula. SEL is often integrated into a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and specifically provided to those students who demonstrate a need for it (Eklund, Kilpatrick, Kilgus, & Eckert, 2018). To date, few studies have investigated SEL programs that are delivered within the academic curriculum; programs that demonstrate alignment between SEL standards and academic learning standards remain largely unexplored. Using a qualitative inquiry design, the implementation of a social-emotional learning English/Language Arts program known as SELLA was examined from the perspective of participating teachers for its feasibility, acceptability, and alignment with the state’s learning standards for ELA. Themes fell into two categories related to teachers’ perceptions of the program experience, including: 1) areas of strength and 2) areas of suggested improvement. Additionally, three themes emerged specifically regarding alignment of the program with the state’s learning standards in writing: 1) teachers needed to independently add content to meet writing standards; 2) teachers see improvements in their students writing after the SELLA program; however, they cannot deduce if that is a direct result of the SELLA program; and 3) students who do not normally participate in the general curriculum are now participating in the SELLA curriculum. The findings are presented along with implications for future research.

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  The Sustainable Development Goals: What Do They Mean for Dayton, Ohio?

  Jessica Caroline Minichillo

  The Sustainable Development Goals seem unattainable and out of reach when just looking at them through a broad lens. After narrowing my scope and localizing many of these goals to Dayton, I was able to see where steps are being made/need to be made. Each of these goals is interconnected, and in order to see improvement in Dayton’s human rights, it is essential to find these connections within our own community. Eradicating poverty does not merely start by helping the poor, but by discovering systematic reasons behind the poverty experienced by different groups.

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  The Truth About Deception: How Social Awareness Affects Deception Detection

  Bridget Allen, Kelly Boris, Faith Plummer

  Dr. Susan Davis, Kelly Boris, Faith Plummer, & Bridget Allen The Truth About Deception: How Social Awareness Affects Deception Detection According to Ulatwski (2013), the wording of a question can bias someone’s perception of another person. The present research focuses on the differences between indirect and direct questioning in affecting a person’s ability to detect deception. Our first hypothesis is that indirect questioning as compared to direct questioning of an interviewee's dishonest responses will produce more accurate determinations of dishonesty (see Brinke et al., 2016). Data we have gathered thus far have supported this hypothesis. Female and male college students viewed four different videos of student actors giving either truthful or deceitful responses to an interviewer. The participants responded to questionnaires designed to determine the participants’ perception of the actors’ honesty. Our second hypothesis is that social awareness plays a role in the ability to accurately detect facial and body language cues related to deception. Sheldon (1996) has defined social awareness as an ability to understand others’ emotions and respond to their body language and facial expressions. Participants in this research study completed the Social Awareness Inventory (SAI) developed by Sheldon. There was a positive correlation between accurate deception detection and performance on the SAI. Despite the advantage that social awareness added to accurate detection, participants were highly overconfident in their abilities to correctly determine deception.

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  The XX Factor: Attributes of Female Leaders

  Laura Cotten Howell

  A higher percentage of women than men in the United States earn degrees from higher education institutions. Women are among the highest performers in organizations, and, in academia, earn the majority of research awards. However, women are disproportionately underrepresented in positions of leadership at all levels of higher education institutions. If this gender-based divergence of promotion is to be addressed, it is important to first understand the women who are the outliers: those who have achieved higher education leadership positions. The purpose of this literature review is to discover the characteristics and skills women in leadership positions attribute to their success. The literature suggests a high proportion of women leaders not only thrive in cultures which value collaborative teams and democratic decision-making processes, women also help to establish these cultures on campus. Women in leadership positions consider building relationships as key in creating successful change. Women also attribute their credibility and trust with the success of their leadership role. In fact, many women argued without credibility and trust, they would be unable to successfully perform their roles. The “Pipeline Theory” suggests as more educated women enter the professional workplace, more women will naturally earn top leadership positions. This, however, has not been the case. By understanding why there is a lack of women in top leadership positions of higher education I seek to examine gender inequalities and unconscious bias surrounding women leaders and preventing them from obtaining top leadership positions.