Sisters in the struggle: Individual and institutional factors affecting the persistence of black, female, doctoral students at United States predominantly white institutions

This study examined graduate experiences among Black, female, doctoral students and degree completers, and how they perceived the effect of individual and institutional factors in relation to their persistence at a predominantly White institution. Research indicates that graduate students are not typically leaving because of academic failure (Baird, 1993; Moody, 2004; Nerad & Miller, 1996). Instead, a combination of individual and institutional factors best explain causes of attrition among graduate students in general and among Black, female, graduate students at predominantly White campuses in particular (Hinton-Johnson, 2003; Lovitts, 2001). The theoretical framework of this study was drawn from Vincent Tinto\u27s (1987) Model of Institutional Departure, Rendon, Jalomo, and Nora\u27s (2000) conceptual framework on minority student retention and Black Feminist Epistemology (P. H. Collins, 2000). The research methodology focused on the analysis of qualitative data gained from direct interviews and a focus group to determine common themes (factors). Data were collected from four Black, female, doctoral students and four degree completers from one major research university. The results of this study will extend the limited literature on the persistence of Black, female, doctoral students at predominantly White institutions of higher education