This document summarizes the dissertation of Dr. Morenike Adebayo-Ige which explored the experiences of immigrant Nigerian women in American higher education. It provides background on the researcher and an overview of the study including the problem statement, purpose, research questions, theoretical framework, methodology, findings and implications. The study employed narrative interviews with 13 Nigerian immigrant women to understand factors influencing their educational success, how their experiences affected them, and coping strategies used. Key findings included the importance of support systems and determination in success, as well as both positive and negative effects of degree attainment. Implications focused on promoting multiculturalism in policies, practices, and future research.

1. Partnership Programs and Local Government Support
IMMIGRANT NIGERIAN WOMEN AND
FORMAL EDUCATION: EXPLORING THEIR
NARRATIVES IN AMERICAN HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Dr. Morenike
Adebayo-Ige
April 5, 2017

2. Educational Background
• Bachelor’s degree in English and Education,
University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
• Master of Science in Reading, Lincoln University,
Philadelphia, PA.
• Doctoral degree in Higher Education Leadership,
California State University, Fullerton, CA.
RESEARCHER’S BACKGROUND

3. Professional Background
• 1991 – 1994: F/T Faculty, Project TIME College of
Education, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.
• 2002 – 2005: F/T Faculty, Imhotep Charter High School,
Philadelphia, PA.
• 2005 – 2007: F/T Faculty, Winslow Township Middle
School, Winslow, NJ.
• 2008 – Present: P/T Faculty, Norco College, Norco, CA.
• 2015 – Present: F/T Faculty, Antelope Valley College,
Lancaster, CA.
RESEARCHER’S BACKGROUND

4. • According to the 1948 United Nations’ (UN) declaration,
access to basic education is a fundamental human right
(Larsen, 2010).
• A 2013 report by Migration Policy indicated that the number
of African immigrants grew from 130,000 to 1.5 million
between 1980 and 2013 (Jie & Batalova, 2014).
• Among the sub-Saharan countries, Nigeria is one of the top
three in rate of immigration to the United States (Terrazas,
2009).
TOPIC BACKGROUND

5. The problem this study addressed was that
• Immigrant Nigerian women’s experiences are generally
categorized as same with all immigrant African women.
• There are not enough studies documenting the lived
experiences of immigrant Nigerian women to inform
higher education practitioners.
• Immigrant Nigerian women’s voices are lacking.
PROBLEM STATEMENT

6. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives
of immigrant Nigerian women in American higher
education institutions, illuminating their individual
experiences and elements that influenced their
trajectories, in order to make their voices heard.
PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH

7. • What elements influenced the educational success of
immigrant Nigerian women in American higher
education institutions?
• How have immigrant Nigerian women been affected by
their experiences in American colleges and universities?
• What coping strategies have immigrant Nigerian women
adopted as they participated in American higher
education systems?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

8. Major Sections in the Literature Review Highlighted Works from Each Section
Nigerian women’s exclusion from formal
education
Ogunniyi and Dosunmu (2014); Samoff and
Carrol (2004)
African feminism, STIWA (Social Transformation
Including Women in Africa), epistemological
theory of women’s way of knowing self and
environment
Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger and Tarule (1986);
Ogundipe-Leslie (1994)
The role of culture on immigrant African
[Nigerian] women in American higher education
institutions
The cultural ecology theory of voluntary and
involuntary immigrants
Morgan, Mwegelo and Turner (2002)
Ogbu and Simons (1998)
Immigrant African women’s barriers and coping
strategies in American colleges and universities
Bulus (2012); Mwaura (2008); Offoh-Robert
(2004)
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

9. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

10. • This study employed qualitative methodology in order to
explore and make meanings of each participant’s stories
and lived experiences.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

11. • Narrative was the research design for this study. It enabled
the researcher to understand the stories and experiences
of individual participants (Bloor & Wood, 2006; Creswell,
2012; Marshall & Rossman, 2011; Reissman, 1993).
• Using narrative design also helped the researcher examine
the cultural context of storytelling and the healing such
stories offered (Kumar, 2005).
RESEARCH DESIGN

12. • For data collection, researcher employed interview in
order to gain information about the participants’ lived
experiences (Doody, 2013) and to also obtain direct
quotes from the respondents about their “experiences,
feelings, opinions and knowledge” (Patton, 2002, p.
354).
• The research instrument was semi-structured interview
because it offered a natural and more comfortable
environment for participants to share their stories, one
on one without inhibition or intimidation.
RESEARCH DESIGN

13. Settings
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Southern California, in four counties:
• Los Angeles
• Riverside
• San Bernardino
• San Diego
RESEARCH METHODS

14. Sample
• Purposive and snowball samplings were employed for the
study.
• Study participants were 13 immigrant Nigerian women
who went through higher education in America and had:
• Lived in the United States for a minimum of 7 years
• Obtained a minimum of High School Diploma from Nigeria
• Attended or graduated from 2-year colleges and or 4-year
universities, graduate or post graduate institutions in the
United States between the years 2005 and 2015.
RESEARCH METHODS

15. RQ 1: Elements that Influenced Participants’ Success
• Support Systems
• Extrinsic: families, peers and faculty
• Intrinsic: Self-determination and focus
RQ 2: Effects of American Degree Attainments on Participants
• Negative effects: Strains in relationships and finances; unwelcoming classroom
experiences; and differences in learning environments.
• Positive effects: financial stability, increased self-esteem, voice and role models
RQ 3: Coping Strategies Employed by Participants
• Planning/organization, family/peer supports, determination/focus and faith in
God/prayers
FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS

16. • To achieve students success, there must be a significant
increase in equity (Witham, Chase, Bensimon, Hanson
& Longanecker, 2015).
• The effectiveness and success of institutional policies
are reflected in their campus and classroom cultures
(Astin, 1984).
• The treatments of immigrants [of color] in the United
States are reflections of the educational policies made
by the leaders (Ogbu & Simons, 1998).
IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY

17. • The promotion of and sensitivity to multicultural education
by student affairs practitioners, faculty and counselors are
vital (Aikhionbare, 2007; Bensimon, 2007; Brown, 2006;
Bulus, 2012; Mwangi, 2002; Mwaura, 2008).
• Clayton and Jones (1993) recommended that student
affairs practitioners, faculty and incoming graduate students
should embrace diversity anew.
• Faculty as practitioners must be intentional about building
interactive relationships and promoting peer interactions
(Pascarella and Terenzini, 1991).
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

18. • The application of Ogundipe-Leslie’s (1994) African
feminism and STIWA (Social Transformation Including
Women in Africa) as theoretical framework and Belenky,
et al.’s (1986) ideology on “Women’s Way of Knowing”
validate each participants’ journey to the empowering
stage of constructive knowledge and STIWA.
• A comparative study of immigrant Nigerian women who
attended American higher education institutions as either
unmarried women without children and those who
attended as married with children could be a future study
focus.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORY & FUTURE RESEARCH

19. • Establish a policy of ongoing multicultural trainings and
education for all.
• Create the awareness of support services to participants.
• Increase the representations of faculty, counselors and student
affairs educators of color.
• Promote diversity among student affairs practitioners and
faculties. via curriculum & professional developments
• Administrators should ensure there are signals on their
campuses that reflect just, equal and inclusive learning
environments.
RECOMMENDATIONS

20. Aikhionbare, C. E. (2007). Transition of African adolescent
immigrants into urban or suburban schools (Doctoral
dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Full Text: The Humanities and Social Sciences Collection. (Order
No. 3295411)
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for
higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25,
297-308.
Belenky, M. F., Clinchy, B. M., Goldberger, N., R., & Tarule, J., M. (1986).
Women’s ways of knowing: The development of self, voice, and
mind. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Bensimon, E. M. (2007). The underestimated significance of
practitioner knowledge in the scholarship on student success.
The Review of Higher Education, 30(4), 441-469.
REFERENCES

21. Bloor, M., & Wood, F. (2006). Keywords in qualitative methods: A
vocabulary of research concepts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Brown, C. A. (2006). Claiming an education: The journey of three adult
women students enrolled in community college developmental
English course. (Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University).
Bulus, V. H. (2012). Narratives of Nigerian educated women pursuing
higher education degrees in Western Universities. (Doctoral
dissertation, University of North Dakota
Clayton, S. A., & Jones, A. (1993). Multiculturalism: An imperative for
change. Iowa Student Personnel Association Journal, 8, 35-49.
Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting
and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (Fourth
Ed.) San Francisco, CA: Pearson
REFERENCES

22. Doody, O., & Noonan, M. (2013). Preparing and conduction
interviews to collect data. Nurse Researcher, 20(5), 28-32.
Grinsted, A. (2005). Interactive resources used in semi-structured
research interviewing. Journal of Pragmatics, (37): 1015-1035
Jie, Z. & Batalova, J. (2014). Sub-Saharan African immigrants in the
United States. Migration Information Source. Retrieved from
www.migrationpolicy.org/article/sub-saharan-african-immigrants-united-
states
Kumar, R. (2005). Research methodology: A step by step guide for
beginners (Second Ed.).New Delhi, India: Pearson.
REFERENCES

23. Larsen, U. (2010). Literacy and educational access. In CQ Press (Second
Ed.). (2010). World at risk: A global issues sourcebook (Second Ed.)
(pp. 418- 441). Washington, D.C: CQ Press.
Marshall C., & Rossman, G. (2011). Designing qualitative research (5th
Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Morgan, R.M., Mwegelo, D. T. &Turner, L.N. (2002). Black women in the
African diaspora seeking their cultural heritage through studying abroad.
NASPA Journal 39(4): 333-53
Morrison, A. R., Schiff, M. & Sjoblom, M. (2008). The international migration of
women, (eds.). The World Bank and Palgrave Macmillan: Washington,
DC.
REFERENCES

24. Mwangi, M. (2002). "We will have gained ourselves": Narrative
experiences of African women pursuing higher education in the
United States of America (Doctoral dissertation). Available from
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text: The Humanities and
Social Sciences Collection. (Order No. 3061849)
Mwaura, J. N. (2008). Black African international adult students'
experiences in higher education: A qualitative study (Doctoral
dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Full Text: The Humanities and Social Sciences Collection. (Order
No. 3325953)
Offoh-Robert, C. (2004). African/Nigerian immigrant students in higher
education: Academic and social preparation for higher education in the
United States. (Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa
Barbara).
REFERENCES

25. Ogundipe-Leslie, M. (1994). Re-Creating ourselves: African women & critical
transformations. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.
Ogunniyi, O. J., & Dosunmu, A. G. (2014). Historical background and impact
of women’s involvement in formal education in Nigeria. European
Scientific Journal, 1(188-192).
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T (1991). How college affects students.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Petrides, L. (1998). Higher education and professional preparation. In
Stromquist, N. & Monkman, K. (Eds.), Women in the Third World: An
encyclopedia of contemporary issues. (pp. 408-417), New York, NY:
Garland.
REFERENCES

26. Reissman, C. (1993). Narrative Analysis. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Samoff, J., & Carrol, B. (2004). The Promise of Partnership and Continuities of
Dependence: External Support to Higher Education in Africa. African
Studies Review, 47:1 67-199
Terrazas, A. (2009). African immigrants in the United States. Migration
Information Source. Retrieved from
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/african-immigrants-united-states-0
Witham, K., Chase, M., Bensimon, E., Hanson, D., & Longanecker, D. (2015).
Moving the attainment agenda from policy to action. Change: The
Magazine of Higher Learning, 47:4, 6-15,
DOI:10.108/00091383.2015.1053779
REFERENCES