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Countering Deficits: Understanding the Racialized Experiences of First-Year Doctoral Students of Color

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Title: Countering Deficits: Understanding the Racialized Experiences of First-Year Doctoral Students of Color
Language: English
Authors: Lillie Ko-Wong (ORCID 0009-0007-5064-0339), Ivan Valdovinos Gutierrez (ORCID 0009-0005-5049-1316)
Source: About Campus. 2026 30(6):7-11.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 5
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Doctoral Students, Minority Group Students, Student Experience, Resilience (Psychology), Sense of Belonging, Social Support Groups
Geographic Terms: California
DOI: 10.1177/10864822251378416
ISSN: 1086-4822
1536-0687
Abstract: The authors were drawn to this topic largely because of their own experiences as first-year doctoral students of color (DSOC) in PhD programs. Struggling during their first year, they often questioned their ability to navigate academia. Through their study, they found that other first-year doctoral students had similar experiences. Doctoral education is a critical pathway for advancing knowledge and expertise, but for DSOC, it often comes with racialized challenges that affect academic success and career trajectories. Although higher education institutions (IHEs) have grown more diverse, DSOC continue to face racism and discrimination. These experiences impact their persistence, retention, and achievement. For example, the National Center for Educational Statistics found that the six-year completion rate for Black doctoral students is 42%, compared to 64% for White students. Research also shows that racial microaggressions lower DSOC's persistence rates, while many perceive their programs as inequitable and unwelcoming. The existing literature explores these racialized challenges, but few studies examine the first-year experiences of DSOC through an asset-based lens. Understanding these experiences is essential to better supporting DSOC in their academic journeys. The authors use Yosso's community cultural wealth and critical race theory (CRT) as lenses in their analyses. Their research questions were: (1) What are the racialized experiences of DSOC?; and (2) What are the assets of DSOC as they navigate the first year of their doctoral programs?
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1493704
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Countering Deficits: Understanding the Racialized Experiences of First-Year Doctoral Students of Color
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lillie+Ko-Wong%22">Lillie Ko-Wong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5064-0339">0009-0007-5064-0339</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ivan+Valdovinos+Gutierrez%22">Ivan Valdovinos Gutierrez</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5049-1316">0009-0005-5049-1316</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22About+Campus%22"><i>About Campus</i></searchLink>. 2026 30(6):7-11.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 10.1177/10864822251378416
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  Data: The authors were drawn to this topic largely because of their own experiences as first-year doctoral students of color (DSOC) in PhD programs. Struggling during their first year, they often questioned their ability to navigate academia. Through their study, they found that other first-year doctoral students had similar experiences. Doctoral education is a critical pathway for advancing knowledge and expertise, but for DSOC, it often comes with racialized challenges that affect academic success and career trajectories. Although higher education institutions (IHEs) have grown more diverse, DSOC continue to face racism and discrimination. These experiences impact their persistence, retention, and achievement. For example, the National Center for Educational Statistics found that the six-year completion rate for Black doctoral students is 42%, compared to 64% for White students. Research also shows that racial microaggressions lower DSOC's persistence rates, while many perceive their programs as inequitable and unwelcoming. The existing literature explores these racialized challenges, but few studies examine the first-year experiences of DSOC through an asset-based lens. Understanding these experiences is essential to better supporting DSOC in their academic journeys. The authors use Yosso's community cultural wealth and critical race theory (CRT) as lenses in their analyses. Their research questions were: (1) What are the racialized experiences of DSOC?; and (2) What are the assets of DSOC as they navigate the first year of their doctoral programs?
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      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
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      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
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