The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of transgender higher education professionals. There have been great strides in the acceptance and inclusion of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. However, the acceptance level of transgender individuals has not reached the same level as the LGB community. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, participants who identified as transgender were interviewed to understand their experiences as professionals in higher education institutions. As a result of the semi-structured interview process, six shared experiences emerged: understanding identity, transitioning in higher education, job search, mental health, rejection, and support. From these categories three themes emerged consisting of participants feeling like an outsider, the positive and negative aspects of passing in society, and persistence to make themselves and the world around them better. Based on these findings, recommendations to help support transgender professionals are provided for faculty members and administrators of institutions of higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]