Mentoring Black Female Student in Doctoral Programs

• In Event: Critical Musings in Higher Education: Mentors Matter for Black Lives

Abstract

The purpose of this symposium is to critique mentorship for Black doctoral students and why it matters because the academy is centered in Whiteness. Mazama (2001) argues that African people take on too much of a Western worldview some of which is situated within the language around mentorship. Mentorship starts with being able to establish a relationship with someone who looks like you or with whom you have a common interest. Evans-Winters (2019) argues that there is an increase in Black graduate and faculty in higher education yet there is still a lack of space in the academy for these groups. Representation matters for Black doctoral students and more importantly being in a collective space where epistemology, ontology, critical thinking, and support are centered in the relationship. According to Evans-Winters (2019), Daughtering is a way of “mentoring” that encourages and supports Black doctoral students who are transitioning to scholars. Mazama (2001) supports this notion that Black doctoral students stay situated within their cultural and disrupt the unconscious Western worldview. This symposium will highlight how “Daughtering” can impact a Black graduate students experience. For the purpose of this discussion, Critical Race Theory (CRT) will be the theoretical framework. Using CRT as the framework will allow us to explore conversations around race and racism and how they impact Black graduate students experience when trying to navigate the academy.

Author

• Jessica Brown, Illinois State University