Graduates: Lynda C. Jackson, Ph.D.


Dr. Jackson on SisterMentors:
As a retired Air Force Colonel, I was accustomed to setting and meeting goals that led to success and personal achievement. Achieving my doctorate degree was one of my life-long goals. Yet, I soon learned that this goal was like no other. Too often peers and associates, though encouraging, could not understand the colossal task I had set for myself. I needed support from others who were marching down the same path, but I had no idea where to find them. Then, a dear friend sent me to SisterMentors' website and it was exactly what I was looking for…and more! During my first meeting with Dr. Lewis, I knew I had found a great group of women of color at all stages of their dissertation journey. All were striving to surmount the challenges of writing and defending their dissertations. On my good days, Dr. Lewis was constantly inspirational, but on my bad days, she was remarkable in providing me tremendous support.	Dr. Lynda C. Jackson SisterMentors Graduate
The added bonus was the opportunity to "pay it forward" by mentoring young girls of color and helping them stay on track academically. This was the most fulfilling experience of all since I learned as much from them as they learned from me. I don't believe in fate or luck. Yet, from this day forward, the number 33 will be an important number for me, because I am the 33rd woman that SisterMentors has mentored through the dissertation. I am proud to say that today I am a Doctor of Management and that SisterMentors played an essential role in supporting me during my journey of a lifetime!
Bio
Lynda C. Jackson earned her Doctorate in Management in August 2009 from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in Adelphi, Maryland. She earned a Master's in Public Administration at Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of Hawaii. While writing her dissertation, Dr. Jackson was awarded the Military Spouse Scholarship from the UMUC and was featured on FOX5 news and in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Dr. Jackson's dissertation is titled Workforce Diversity in the Senior Executive Service: Exploring African American Women's Perceptions of Success Factors Necessary to Gain Appointments in the Federal Senior Executive Service. Her research findings suggest that although African American women may be aware of the importance of key success factors needed to achieve Senior Executive Service (SES) - such as mentors, informal networks, role models, organization diversity practices and emotional intelligence - they continue to attribute personal career success to internal factors such as education, hard work and their own ability. Dr. Jackson's findings also suggest that African American women may increase their potential for SES appointments in the federal government through gaining access to powerful external success factors such as mentors, networks and role models. Dr. Jackson is a retired Colonel who proudly served more than 28 years in the United States Air Force. She has received many awards for her work in the Air Force, including "Best in the Air Force" and the Defense Superior Service Award. She is a retired veteran's daughter and a retired veteran's spouse. Dr. Jackson is a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a member of the National Council of Negro Women. She is also a member of the Academy of Management and Blacks in Government. She has a postdoctoral teaching fellowship at UMUC and has joined the faculty at Trinity University in Washington D.C. where she hopes to inspire young women to gain access to powerful success factors as they ascend to the top in their chosen careers. Dr. Jackson and her husband have two adult sons and two grandchildren.