Surviving Is Not Enough: Toward a Construct of Thriving for Black Mid-level Administrators

Thriving at work is an emerging construct referring to a positive psychological state marked by learning and vitality in the workplace (Spreitzer et al., 2005). Thriving leads to positive outcomes such as professional growth and momentum, as well as enhanced health and well-being. Yet, Black higher education administrators continue to face systemic barriers such as microaggressions, advancement disparities, and epistemic exclusion that constrain opportunities to thrive (Achinewhu-Nworgu, 2023; Briscoe et al., 2024; Chun and Evans, 2015; Gardner et al., 2014; Thompson, 2016). This contrast reveals a critical gap between the conditions that enable thriving and the realities of Black administrators' career trajectories. As such, this study sought to focus attention on the conditions that contribute to positive workplace outcomes for Black mid-level administrators. Guided by the Socially Embedded Model of Thriving at Work theoretical framework as well as a critical constructivist epistemology, I conducted a qualitative study to understand how Black mid-level administrators described their experiences with thriving at work. A thematic analysis of nine semi-structured interviews revealed key insights into the workplace experiences of Black administrators. Participants experienced thriving in three distinct ways: thriving in partnership with supervisors, thriving through community with colleagues and peers, and thriving from within an internal source of purpose. Conversely, there were dynamics, often related to racism, that threatened to undermine the positive aspects of their work life. Together, these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the professional identity and development of Black administrators and inform supervision practices. Implications of this research and recommended future directions were also provided.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Higher Education

Department dc:contributor.department

Higher Education

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Barnes, Chatrice D.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Catalano, D. Chase James

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Strayhorn, Terrell Lamont
• Lane, Tonisha B.
• Frank, Tara Elizabeth

• Thriving
• Thriving at Work
• Professional Well-being
• Black Mid-level Administrators
• Professional Staff
• Supervision
• Communal Support
• HPWIs

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:46957

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/143387