From one culture to another: Years one and two of graduate school for African American women in the STEM fields

Abstract

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) provide an educational pathway for many Black students, particularly women who seek graduate degrees. Despite the positive presence of HBCUs in the African American community, the academic training of students who graduate from HBCUs may be perceived as insufficient by Predominantly White Graduate Institutions (PWIs). As a result, African American students who are not well integrated into their respective departmental communities and cultures at PWIs are likely to leave graduate school. Research has also indicated that the first two years at a PWI is crucial for students of color. This study exam-ines how students make the two-year transition from HBCU to majority institutions and what im-pact this transition has on their persistence and commitment to their discipline.