A lot can happen in 1,260 days, but one of the most impressive is the earning of a doctorate. In November of 2023, Assistant Program Director of Human Resources Elaine Rudder completed her Doctor of Education (EdD) degree, marking the end of a three-and-a-half year quest.
While any student may experience challenges during the pursuit of an advanced degree, Elaine faced the extenuating circumstances of being a spouse, parent of five and full-time employee during her journey. There didn’t seem to be enough hours in a day for work and family, so she coped with the time constraints by doing her schoolwork late at night when everyone else had gone to bed.
I did this to try and change the experience of Black women in mid-level management in higher education.
Elaine remembers one night in particular when she took a short nap, then woke up at 2 a.m. to do homework for four hours. This enabled her to spend the weekend with her husband and children without interruption. She says she did all of this, “to try and change the experience of Black women in mid-level management in higher education, to eliminate barriers.”
Along the way, Elaine had consistent help from both her family and a former supervisor, all of whom encouraged her to keep going even when she felt overwhelmed. She shares that she is most proud of seeing her degree through to the end, showing her kids that “it can be done” and contributing to a topic that’s so important.
There's a gap in our understanding of the middle passage between entry and senior level roles.
During her dissertation defense, Elaine drew a parallel between the historical period of the middle passage and the current state of Black women in academic leadership. She noted that, “there’s a gap in our understanding of the middle passage between entry and senior level roles.” To Elaine, earning a doctorate means more opportunities in higher education. It signifies the elimination of academic barriers for not only herself but all women.
Elaine says that the culmination of her efforts is for, “other women to feel like and to know that they can do it, too. That they deserve this.”