Date of Award
Summer 8-23-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Quantitative Research Methods
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Research Methods and Information Science, Research Methods and Statistics
First Advisor
Bruce Uhrmacher
Second Advisor
Nick Cutforth
Third Advisor
Duan Zhang
Fourth Advisor
Elizabeth Anderson
Fifth Advisor
Darin Stewart
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Black women, Tuition assistance, Career advancement, Human Capital Theory, Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Thought, Strong Black Woman Schema
Abstract
This dissertation explores the lived experiences of Black women engaging with employer-sponsored tuition assistance programs, focusing on how social, structural, and identity-based factors shape their educational and professional trajectories. While these benefits are often framed as neutral tools for career advancement, this study examines them through the intersecting lenses of race, gender, and labor, revealing deeper dynamics of access, value, and belonging. Guided by a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, this study employed a multi-modal data collection design involving video diaries, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. Three participants, all Black women between the ages of 30 and 40, shared their personal and professional journeys with tuition assistance in the context of broader social forces, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis was grounded in four intersecting theoretical frameworks: Human Capital Theory, Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Thought, and the Strong Black Woman Schema. Together, these frameworks enabled a nuanced understanding of how identity, institutional expectations, and self-perception converge in educational decision-making. Four research questions guided the inquiry: (1) How do Black women perceive and experience employer-sponsored tuition assistance? (2) What challenges and supports shape their access and use of these programs, especially in relation to race and gender? (3) How does the Strong Black Woman schema influence their engagement with educational benefits? and (4) How has the COVID-19 pandemic altered their experiences and future aspirations? Five themes emerged from the data: (1) Tuition Assistance as an Invitation to Belong and Invest; (2) Navigating Barriers through Self-Reliance and Resilience; (3) The Weight of Representation and the Need for Support; (4) Institutional Trust, Disillusionment, and Redemption; and (5) Reimagining Educational and Professional Identity Post-COVID. This study contributes to academic literature on equity in adult learning, informs employer strategies for inclusive education benefits, and elevates the voices of Black women whose labor, aspirations, and insights remain underrepresented.
Copyright Date
8-2025
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Britany Patricia Hamilton
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
158 pgs
File Size
1.1 MB
Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Britany Patricia, "Beyond the Benefit: A Multi-Modal Narrative Study of Black Women's Experiences with Employer-Sponsored Tuition Assistance" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2630.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2630
Included in
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