A Critical Study of Women Graduate Student Experiences in Agricultural and Extension Education

Abstract

The American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) aims to build a more inclusive and collaborative organizational culture. In 2017, women faculty and graduate students comprised 37.8% of the total AAAE membership. The need to recruit and retain diverse faculty and students in agricultural and extension education (AEE) remains if the AAAE organization is to achieve its goal. Women faculty experiences in AEE were studied previously, yet less attention was given to women graduate students. The purpose of this critical inquiry study was to develop a profile of women graduate students in postsecondary AEE by describing the mentoring experiences and organizational climate for women graduate students in the profession. Four emergent themes described women graduate students’ experiences in AEE: (a) reflections on graduate school, (b) realities of graduate school, (c) future in academia, and (d) the pursuit of mentorship. Participant reflection on the graduate school experience was conflicting. The realities of graduate school in AEE described a man’s world, the Good Ol’ Boys Club, microaggressions toward women, and the questioning of women’s competency. Participants seemed confident, unsure, or concerned about a career in postsecondary AEE. Faculty and fellow graduate students are considered encouraging mentors, but a void of women leaders to serve as role models in AEE was identified. AAAE should promote a more positive, inclusive, and intentionally mentored graduate school experience to retain more women in postsecondary AEE. More critical research related to graduate student experiences is encouraged to improve the inclusivity of the AEE profession.