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Blog post MariTere Molinet, Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Graduate

Giving Feedback: The art of speaking up to collaborate and empower

MariTere Molinet
An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics

When I first started my Ph.D. program, I was taken aback that none of the talks offered to graduate students focused on how to give feedback to others. Plenty of workshops discussed how to receive feedback, but coming from an industry where feedback was encouraged and expected, I felt we were missing a part of a very important equation.

Blog post Pilanda Watkins-Curry, Ph.D., Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Graduate

Pursuing the Ph.D. – How to Get Your Research Published

Pilanda Watkins-Curry, Ph.D.
An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics

Publishing a journal article is a significant milestone for a Ph.D. student’s academic journey. It showcases your contributions to your respective field and acts as a validation of your research skills and expertise. The process of publishing can often seem overwhelming and time-consuming, but with the right approach, it can be a relatively smooth experience.

Blog post Jhonatan Saldana, Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Participant

Putting Yourself Before Your Work

An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics

After working in research in one capacity or another for the past six years, the most common topic I hear about when speaking with fellow students is stress. We just can’t help but mention the stress of working on a time crunch, the stress of submitting grants, the stress of funding; stress is always an underlying theme to our careers and one that appears to have no end. However, not all is doom and gloom. There are many ways in which we can try to balance our work-related stress, and below are two which can get overlooked.

Blog post Precious Hardy, Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Participant

Structuring Your Dissertation Committee

SREB scholar Precious Hardy
An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics

In graduate school we are bombarded with decisions. We decide whether to be quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods researchers, what classes to take, and what topic to expand on for our dissertation. One of the most important decisions we make, though, is deciding which faculty members will sit on our dissertation committee.

Blog post Chinasa Elue, Ph.D., Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Graduate

The Impact of Microaggressions on Health and Job Satisfaction

An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics

Dr. Chinasa Elue The multiple pandemics of 2020 have systematically forced us to engage in critical conversations around race, injustice and the pervasive nature of inequalities across all sectors of society. As these dialogues have unfolded, several organizations have stepped forward with statements decrying racism and social injustice on their websites and social media outlets.

Blog post Robin Phelps-Ward, Ed.D., Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program Graduate

Pedagogical Strategies for Inclusive and Trauma-Informed Teaching

An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics.

Dr. Robin Phelps-Ward As educators continue in the 2020-2021 year during a time of racial unrest, a national presidential election, and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, many are wondering how to adapt their teaching practices in response. The current climate has been traumatic for those who are navigating loss, grief, and profound changes of all sorts. As educators we must respond to this in inclusive ways that support students’ well-being.

Blog post Shani Collins Woods, Ph.D., Guest BloggerSREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program graduate

Self-Care and Your Success in Graduate School

An occasional series from the Doctoral Scholars Program on postsecondary topics.

Dr. Shani Collins Woods How do you honor your mind, body and spirit? Do you even think it’s important?

From 2007-2014 I was a full-time doctoral student in social work at the University of Alabama. The program involved writing an annotated bibliography, writing and defending an integrative paper, taking comprehensive exams, and writing and defending a dissertation. My life was consumed with this and travel between my home state of Mississippi and my surrogate city and state, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I made little time for self-care. I would leave Tuscaloosa on a Friday and return either Sunday evening or leave at 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning. I missed my family, friends, and the comforts of my Mississippi Delta home life. My home was my outlet.

Blog post Dr. Ansley Abraham, DirectorSREB State-Doctoral Scholars Program

Fixing the Pipeline of Possibility

A recent Atlantic article, “The Disciplines Where No Black People Earn Ph.D.s,” is eye-opening for its title alone. “In 2017,” author Adam Harris says, “there were more than a dozen fields” — largely within STEM — “in which not a single doctoral degree was awarded to a black person anywhere in the United States.”

Blog post

Tips from Women of Color on Succeeding in Academia
Finishing the Ph.D. and Advancing in Higher Education

Dr. Amy Ansong

Women represent a majority of Ph.D. students nationally, but overcoming hurdles relating to both gender and race can make life in academia especially challenging for women scholars.

That was a major theme among scholars and experts at the 2018 annual Institute on Teaching and Learning, hosted by the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program and its partner programs.

Blog post

‘I almost wasn’t’: Ph.D. graduates, experts urge self-care

Dr. Brian Walton

A critical topic that often gets overlooked in the drive to earn a Ph.D.: taking care of yourself.

The issue was on full, courageous display at the 2018 Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, the nation’s largest gathering of underrepresented Ph.D. students and graduates of color. At the banquet celebrating the previous year’s newly minted graduates, many spoke of their emotional and health struggles during their long journey to the doctorate.

Blog post Dr. Robert (Bob) Belle, Associate Director, SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program

Reflecting on 25 years
of the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring

Dr. Robert (Bob) Belle poses for a photo behind a microphone.

As one of only three people who have attended every Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, Dr. Robert (Bob) Belle, the longtime associate director of the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program, reflects on the Institute’s growth and importance, marking the 25th year of the conference.

Blog post Grad | Logic blog

It’s All About Community
An interview with Ansley Abraham

What’s the best advice to propel a doctoral candidate toward a successful completion of their Ph.D. goal? According to Dr. Ansley Abraham, director of the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program, it boils down to connecting with “people who are vested in your success.” 

Dr. Abraham has been doling out that advice to doctoral students for over 25 years. In the article below, originally published on the blog – Grad | Logic: Navigating the Ups and Downs of Graduate School, Dr. Abraham shared some of his wisdom in an interview with Dr. Chris Golde.

Blog post Ansley Abraham, Director, SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program

Why supporting doctoral students of color is more important than ever

Group photo: attendees of the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring

Twenty-five years ago, the South was graduating so few Ph.D. students of color that, in some fields, the annual number of graduates could fit into the same car.

Fortunately that has changed, but not enough to graduate all the scholars of color we need.

Blog post Chanell Turner

“He Always Said What Needed to Be Said…”

Charlie Reed and Dave Spence

Chanell Turner, Publications and Programming Assistant for the Doctoral Scholars Program, talks with former SREB President Mark Musick as he remembers former SREB Vice Chair Charlie Reed’s impact on the Doctoral Scholars Program and his passion for education.

Blog post

20 Tips to Survive Graduate School

The Ph.D. journey is full of twists and turns that are easier to navigate with guidance from those who have already walked the path. We asked DSP scholars and Institute attendees to submit graduate school survival tips for those who are still on the journey. 

Set goals and balance your time

1. Begin with the end in mind. Have a sense of where you want to be when you graduate and  take steps to make sure you are properly prepared when you reach that goal.