Deep in the Swamp: The Experiences of Black Graduate Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: The Graduate Student Experience (Table 23)

Abstract

Black graduate students often face a lack of mentorship, community support, and tokenization in the academy (Boyce, 2021). The purpose of this paper is to examine the racialized experiences of Black graduate students at a predominately white institution (PWI). Our research collective employed photovoice (Witkowski et al., 2021) and photo-elicitation (Lawther, 2021) to narrate the stories of Black graduate students. Preliminary findings illuminate students' feelings of estrangement and (in)visibility in higher education and the need for safe spaces to engage in holistic practices to sustain themselves through their matriculation. We suggest implications for radical healing (French et al., 2020) due to racial trauma and further research on the impacts of racial trauma on Black graduates students holistic well-being.

Authors

• Ayanna Troutman, University of Florida

• Dashana Lane, University of Florida

• Jerell Blackburn, University of Florida

• chanel williams, University of Florida

• Kenesma John, University of Florida

• Temi Alao, University of Florida

• Travis C. Smith, Auburn University