Imagining the Academic Self: Identity, Intersectionality, and Aspiration in Doctoral Student Development

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: The Work of Becoming: Growth, Identity, and Professional Fulfillment in Education

Abstract

This collaborative autoethnography explores how doctoral students envision their academic futures, focusing on the development of doctoral student identity through mentorship, peer relationships, coursework, and broader interpersonal interactions. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of possible selves (Markus & Nurius, 1986) and intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), this study positions the autoethnographers as both participants and researchers, offering a nuanced, insider perspective. Preliminary findings suggest that doctoral student identity formation is deeply shaped through students’ experiences within their programs and their evolving sense of self in relation to institutional, personal, and cultural contexts. The study concludes with practical implications for doctoral advisement, mentorship, and career development, highlighting the importance of relational support in shaping students’ academic trajectories.

Authors

• Arpana Manjunath, University of Houston

• Lebon D. James, Sam Houston State University

• Mandana Delavari, University of Houston

• Patrick Obot, University of Houston