Examining how graduate advisors mitigate or exacerbate the structural barriers Women of Color navigate in STEM doctoral programs.

Abstract

Steeped in both critical race feminism (Wing, 1997) and social cognitive career theory (Lent et al., 2002), the present study intentionally centered the voices of 11 Women of Color graduate students and early career professionals to understand how graduate advisors mitigated or exacerbated the structural barriers Women of Color navigate during their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs. Using thematic analysis grounded in the social constructivist paradigm, researchers identified four emergent themes: (a) unsupportive advising behaviors as a contextual barrier, (b) debilitating impact on mental health, (c) shared gender identity but mismatch racial/ethnic identity, and (d) advocacy-centered instrumental support and psychosocial support as key contextual supports. Results indicated that graduate advisors’ behaviors served as both contextual barriers that exacerbated the structural barriers Women of Color navigated in STEM, as well as contextual supports that enhanced the doctoral experience and mitigated the adverse toll of marginalizing encounters in STEM. Three recommendations that stem from this work include: (a) adopt an intersectional approach to advising that values students as whole beings, (b) commit to antioppressive advocacy as part of the advising role, and (c) recognize the toll that unsupportive advising behaviors have on Women of Color’s mental health.

“In the back of my mind”: A Longitudinal Multiple Case Study Analysis of Successful Black Women Biomedical Graduate Students Navigating Gendered Racism

“…This includes learning how to be vigilant about identifying hostile behavior directed toward Black women from students, staff, and other faculty. Wilkins-Yel and colleagues (2023) noted that to believe women of color when they disclose sexist or racist interactions and proceed to take swift and immediate action is both an example of instrumental support and an anti-oppressive advocacy strategy. Finally, the findings support the approach and effectiveness of multiple mentoring relationships, or a mentoring network, for STEM majors as it is unrealistic for any one person to have everything someone is looking for ( McReynolds et al.…”

Longitudinal examination of the advisor–advisee relationship among Black and Latinx STEM graduate students.

“…Studies on the advisor–advisee relationship have focused on it from both the student’s perspective (T. Bryson et al, 2023; Noy & Ray, 2012; Patton, 2009; Wilkins-Yel et al, 2023) and the advisor’s perspective (Baker & Griffin, 2010; K. A. Griffin et al, 2010; Whittaker & Montgomery, 2014), with both perspectives showing that mentoring is important to graduate advisees’ success.…”

“…The advisor–advisee literature on the overall STEM graduate population is limited and is even more sparse when it comes to Black and Latinx doctoral advisees (T. C. Bryson & Grunert Kowalske, 2022; McGee et al, 2022; Wilkins-Yel et al, 2023). This study addresses how advisor–advisee relationships may influence STEM Black and Latinx graduate students’ experiences in graduate school and specifically focuses on how the relationships evolve over time.…”

“…C. Bryson & Grunert Kowalske, 2022;Golde, 2005;Lovitts, 2002;Schlosser & Gelso, 2001. Within STEM, graduate students experience a dyadic advisor-advisee supervision model whereby graduate advisors shepherd their advisees through research requirements such as qualifying exams, dissertations, and publications and serve as stewards for entry into the professional discipline (T. C. Bryson & Grunert Kowalske, 2022;Ong et al, 2011;Primé, 2015;Wilkins-Yel et al, 2023). A strong advisor-advisee relationship has been linked to greater satisfaction with the graduate school experience and a faster completion rate (T. C. Bryson & Grunert Kowalske, 2022;de Valero, 2001).…”

Examining Black and Latinx STEM graduate students’ laboratory rotation experiences and their impact on advisor selection

“…10.3389/feduc.2024.1299315 One key component of increasing and retaining the number of students of color pursuing STEM graduate degrees is to better support them during their graduate experience. There are many factors that impact Black and Latinx STEM students graduate experience, such as the graduate student's research interest and alignment (Kim and Beier, 2020), the advisor-advisee relationship (Zhao et al, 2007;McCray and Joseph-Richard, 2020;Bryson and Kowalske, 2022;Wilkins-Yel et al, 2023), institutions and departments (Golde, 2005), academic performance and skills (Sinche et al, 2017;Grote et al, 2021), and collaborative research environment (Trujillo et al, 2015). Many Black and Latinx graduate students in STEM cite funding as a significant barrier to their retention and success (Ramirez, 2013).…”