Abstract
This study investigates the utilization and impact of the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) position within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), focusing on job satisfaction and career confidence. Historically, women led collegiate women’s sports, but with the consolidation of men’s and women’s athletics under a single governance structure, female representation in leadership declined. While women make up 44% of NCAA athletes, only 27.2% of athletic directors are women (Statista, n.d.). The SWA role was created to ensure women have a voice in athletic department decision-making. This mixed-methods study explores whether the SWA role is fulfilling its original purpose of promoting meaningful female leadership. Data were collected from 12 of 14 SWAs in the NSIC through Qualtrics surveys and Zoom interviews. The goal was to assess how the role is being implemented and its perceived effectiveness in supporting women’s advancement. Insights from this study aim to support continued improvement and clarity of the SWA designation within collegiate athletics for athletic departments, the NSIC, and the NCAA.
Date Capstone Completed
5-2025
Document Type
Capstone Paper
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Leadership Education: Sport Management
Department
Educational Leadership
Advisor
Joel Traver
Location
Winona, Minnesota
Recommended Citation
Schimenz, Mattie J., "Position Utilization and Leadership of Senior Woman Administrators in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference" (2025). Leadership Education Capstones. 97.
https://openriver.winona.edu/leadershipeducationcapstones/97
Metadata Creation Responsibility
Mattie Schimenz
