Surviving and Thriving: Examining Resilience in Black Women Attending Graduate School at a White University

• In Event: 44.085 - Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: 44.085-5 - Contemporary Training Issues Faced by Counseling Students and Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this session is to discuss results from a study that examined the experiences of Black women attending graduate school at one predominantly White university after graduating from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Using qualitative research methods, researchers interviewed 11 participants representing eight different HBCUs. Three overarching themes emerged from the data: Protective Resilience Factors, Compensatory Resilience Factors, and Challenge Resilience Factors. Within these major categories, seven subcategories were identified: personal involvement, familial legacies and expectations, positive thinking and reflection, inner drive and determination, religion and spirituality, open mindedness, and reframing the experience. Themes represent both individual and collective experiences. Implications for college counseling and student affairs personnel working with Black graduate student populations are discussed.

Authors

• Quentin Alexander, Longwood University

• Katherine Cumings Mansfield, Virginia Commonwealth University