These Are My Keys to Success: The Experiences of Black Male HBCU Graduates in STEM Doctoral Programs at PWIs

• In Event: Navigating the STEM Environment: Perspectives and Experiences of Students, Faculty, and Staff

Abstract

While the plight of Black men in higher education is well documented, there is little scholarship dedicated to their undergraduate academic achievements and even less on their success in graduate school. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black male HBCU graduates who were enrolled in STEM doctoral programs at PWIs and the actions they took to be successful. To better understand these experiences, the study employed Harper’s (2012) anti-deficit achievement perspective, Weidman et al.’s (2001) conceptualization of the graduate student socialization process, and O’Meara et al.’s (2012) notions of agency.

Authors

• Antonio Bush, UNC-CH School of Pharmacy

• Joy Gaston Gayles, North Carolina State University

• Audrey J. Jaeger, North Carolina State University