How a Facebook Group Created Community out of Isolation

Session Submission Type: Best Practices Forum

Abstract

ABD, or all but dissertation, describes the doctoral student who has successfully completed coursework and passed comprehensives. After that very impressive achievement, the next and final step of completing and defending a dissertation is not an automatic and easy experience. The Ph.D. Completion Project estimates that the ten-year completion rate after starting the dissertation process is 55–64 percent in STEM, 56 percent in the social sciences, and 49 percent in the humanities.

The Facebook Group Dissertation Smash was created more than three years ago to address the stress and isolation experienced by our students traveling through this process.

Sub Unit

• J - Postsecondary Education

Presenters

• Rebecca E Hornberger, Concordia University Chicago

• Mary Lynn Crabtree, Concordia University of Chicago

• Amy Marie Varchmin, Concordia University

• Michael Joseph Buttil, Ashland University

• Donna Lynne Knight, Keystone Local Schools

• Margaret Aker, Concordia University Chicago

• Patricia Farrenkopf, Ashland University College of Educa