Somebody, anybody, sing a Black girl’s song: Examining the experiences of Black women doctoral students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities through Sista Circles

This study examines the experiences of Black women doctoral students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Utilizing a theoretical framework of Black Feminist Thought (BFT), Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), and Intersectionality, this study focuses on how Black women doctoral students describe the varied experiences of navigating academic and personal life and intersecting identities along with how they define, construct, and leverage community as a persistence tool. Currently, there is a limited body of literature regarding the advanced graduate experiences of Black women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities regarding how they navigate and the mechanisms that influence their persistence. Further, a dearth of literature addresses the unique experiences, contributions, and challenges of this institutional type regarding advanced doctoral study. This qualitative study used Sista Circle Methodology, Critical Discourse Analysis, and Feminist Relational Discourse Analysis to illuminate how collective communal space informs their language choices amongst each other and describing their experiences. Through this, three discursive patterns (themes) were identified: HBCUs versus rose-colored glasses, Conflict with Black Women, and community is complicated and nuanced. This study provides practice implications to implement and maintain appropriate support resources and influence the opportunities for professional development for Historically Black College and University faculty, staff, and administrators.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Andrews, Krystal Elaine

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zamani-Gallaher, Eboni M
• Davila, Liv T
• Hood, Denice W
• Brown, Ruth N

• Doctoral Study
• Graduate Study
• Experience
• Persistence
• Retention
• Black Women
• Historically Black Colleges And Universities

Statement dc:rights

• ©2023 Krystal Elaine Andrews

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/122235

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F122235