Jenta’ Young Dissertation Defense, Monday, December 1, 2025 @ 3:00 pm Central Time
December 1 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Patricia Miller
TITLE: ROAPMAP TO SUCCESS: PERSPECTIVES OF BLACK FEMALES OVERCOMING BARRIERS IN A DOCTORAL PROGRAM AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTION (PWI) AND A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY (HBCU) IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
ABSTRACT: This study employed a qualitative research design to investigate the experiences of 10 Black female doctoral students as they matriculate and successfully graduate from doctoral programs at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) and a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Southeast Texas. A descriptive-phenomenological research methodology was employed in this study to illustrate the struggles and barriers Black females face during matriculation and their persistence in achieving success in a doctoral program. The participants were women who self-identified as Black or African American. Participants were previously enrolled full-time in a cohort-oriented doctoral program with face-to-face, online, or hybrid instruction methods. The goals of this study were to provide a roadmap for Black female doctoral students’ perseverance and persistence in a doctoral program and to offer insight and validation that the lived experiences of Black women are significant and relevant. Two theoretical frameworks guided the research: Tinto’s (1993) Stages of Graduate Persistence and Black Feminist Thought (BFT). Stages of Graduate Persistence highlights the barriers that hinder successful progression (persistence), while BFT examines characteristics displayed by Black females to succeed (a roadmap to success). This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to understand how Black females overcome barriers to succeed in doctoral programs while balancing family and career responsibilities. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling. The guiding question for this study was: What support systems do Black female doctoral students attribute to their success while pursuing a doctoral degree at a PWI and an HBCU? The primary data collection source for this study was open-ended, face-to-face interviews with semi-structured questions. Three major themes emerged from the data: (1) Support Systems and Success, with a subtheme of Family/Cohort members; (2) External Factors and Persistence, with a subtheme of Psychological/Financial Stress; and (3) Spiritual Beliefs, with a subtheme of God/Faith.
Keywords: Graduate persistence, matriculation, doctoral completion
Location Online:
Zoom Link: https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/91556723203?pwd=S0MHCwhUh31WZ6LbsNbeK3j7pi2bxA.1
Meeting ID: 915 5672 3203
Passcode: 873665
