PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Campbell, Suzanne
AU  - LaCost, Barbara Y.
TI  - CLS to Higher Education Administrator: The Right Navigational Skills
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.23.1.12
DP  - 2010 Jan 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - 12--20
VI  - 23
IP  - 1
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/23/1/12.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/23/1/12.full
SO  - Clin Lab Sci2010 Jan 01; 23
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To identify the experiences, training, and opportunities that directed and influenced the career paths of women clinical laboratory scientists that transitioned to higher education administrators.METHODS: A multi-site case study design was selected for this qualitative research involving a purposive sample of eight research participants. Data collection was guided by ten open-ended questions in seven face-to-face and one telephone semi-formal interviews.SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: The purposive sample included women clinical laboratory scientists who held a current higher education administrative position at the dean's level, including associate and assistant dean positions, in a university setting. The participants were located in eight higher education institutions in Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas.MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Leadership skills/characteristics, professional development opportunities, mentoring experiences, opportunities for advancement.RESULTS: Possessing a doctoral degree, demonstrating competence and strong leadership skills, having a good role model and/or mentor, displaying the ability to see the big picture, and possessing exemplary communication skills were identified by this group of women as necessary requirements for obtaining and maintaining a position as a higher education administrator.CONCLUSION: The participants in this study confirmed that by possessing a terminal degree and a defined skill set, they were able to obtain a higher education administrator position.