Doctoral Scholars Program
SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program
NOTE: The in-person 2020 Institute has been postponed. Save the date for the 2020 Virtual Institute Graduation Recognition Ceremony >
Increasing Faculty Diversity
More than one-third of America’s college students are people of color. But racial and ethnic minorities make up only small fractions of college faculty. Nationwide, about 5 percent of faculty are African-American, about 3 percent are Hispanic and about 1 percent are Native American. The SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program is working to change that.
The 2020 DSP Fellowship application is now closed
The goal: more minority Ph.D. students who seek
careers as faculty on college campuses
The Doctoral Scholars Program provides multiple layers of support — not only financial assistance and research funding, but also career counseling, job postings and a scholar directory for networking and recruiting. Mentoring and advocacy for scholars is crucial, and support continues into early careers as graduates become faculty members. And each fall, a thousand scholars and young faculty members convene to learn and support one another at the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring.
5-minute version of this video
Almost 1,000 Graduates and Counting
The goal of the Doctoral Scholars Program is to increase the number of minority students who earn doctorates and choose to become faculty at colleges and universities. Since its founding in 1993, the program has supported more than 1,660 scholars who have attended 107 institutions in more than 30 states.
Tips for Exemplary Teaching from Award-Winning Faculty
24th Annual Institute on Teaching and Learning
The 24th Institute on Teaching and Mentoring publication highlights the personal stories of six award-winning Institute scholars on best practices to engage and encourage students in college classrooms.
Fewer than 1 in 10 professors are someone of color
The SREB DSP addresses the issue of faculty diversity in new video
Today, a third of students entering American universities are minorities, yet among the faculty fewer than 1 in 10 is someone of color. Who stands at the front of the room matters.
The SREB DSP looks to address the issue of faculty diversity on college campuses by increasing graduates, supporting public service projects of graduates and acknowledging the research interest of DSP scholars.
See how the SREB DSP is helping states meet this need.
SREB Goal for College Attainment
Helping States Meet Their Needs
This handout shows the impact the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program has on states in the areas of increasing graduates, public service and research. It also addresses the ways the SREB DSP leverages state and higher education institutional partnerships to increase faculty diversity in the region’s college and universities.
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.
2016 Institute on Teaching and Mentoring Recap
Dr. Archie Taylor inspired more than 1,000 faculty, scholars, friends and family in Tampa, Florida, at last October’s Institute on Teaching and Mentoring: “Increase your expectation for excellence and decrease your comfort zone.” He along with 34 other graduates from institutions across the country stepped up to the podium to discuss their journeys to the Ph.D.
2016 Institute Quick Stats
Two DSP grads prepare a generation of potential Ph.D. Scholars
In January 2016, the Doctoral Scholars Program staff re-established the DSP Service Grant. The $2,000 grant, supported by donations from program graduates and constituents, funds two service projects that are submitted by program graduates and helps graduates expand the educational experiences of the next generation of K-12 and undergraduate students.
Dr. Jamie Fisher
2013 DSP Program Graduate
Vanderbilt University
Speech Language Pathology
Awards, Tenure and Promotions
DSP graduates making waves in the academy
Edward A. Brown accepted a full-time position
with Potomac State College in West Virginia as an activities
program manager with the student life division. 
Dr. Brown plans and implements social and educational activities students and creates opportunities for student involvement at the college. He also oversees Student Union operations, works with student organizations and serves as advisor to the Student Government Association.
Partner, Support, Prepare and Recruit
Four Steps Forward To A More Diverse College Faculty
In the past two years, black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian Pacific/Islander students accounted for about one-third of all college enrollments in the United States. However, the proportion of faculty who represent these groups at public four-year institutions is less than 10 percent.
This publication provides four actions policymakers and educational leaders can take to increase faculty diversity on college campuses in their states.
Facilitating the Creation of Tomorrow’s Workforce
The SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program and NASA Partnership
SREB’s Doctoral Scholars Program partnered with NASA to diversify the STEM workforce. NASA scholars attended the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring and received professional development and recruitment opportunities. Eleven of them are spotlighted in this publication.
22nd Annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring
Exploring New Research Frontiers for Future Generations
The 22nd Institute on Teaching and Mentoring publication highlighted the research projects of 16 previous Institute attendees and how their contributions to the fields of biology, sociology, disease prevention, management and many others are impacting the global community. Each scholar is affiliated with the Institute’s partner organizations: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholars Program.
What is your mentoring style?
How one DSP grad found her mentoring method
Carrie Eaton is an associate professor of mathematics at Unity College in Unity, Maine. Eaton teaches interdisciplinary mathematics and mathematics pedagogy to undergraduate students. Along with her teaching load, she developed a professional development program at the University of Tennessee to improve teaching practices in undergraduate classrooms.
Eaton shares her experience and advice for those establishing their mentorship style.
Q. How did mentoring impact your doctoral program experience?
Leading the Class
From Ph.D. Graduate to Tenured Faculty
The SREB Doctoral Scholars Program is excited to celebrate a new milestone. Over a 100 of the program’s graduates are tenured faculty at universities across the nation. This publication features eight and includes a list all 106 of the who are making a difference at their universities and in their communities.
The SREB Doctoral Scholars Program
New Institutional Partnerships
The SREB Doctoral Scholars Program (DSP) has long partnered with SREB-region states to provide services that help minority scholars attain doctorates. Currently, as a result of the success of this model, institutions in and outside of the region are requesting to partner with the DSP, independent of state support. The program is now involved in an effort to work with these entities to continue to serve exceptional scholars.
Closing the Loop
For 21 years, SREB states have supported the nationally recognized SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program. The program has produced more than 700 Ph.D.s and supports more than 350 matriculating doctoral candidates.