Feminist Peer Mentorship in Doctoral Programs: Supporting the Next Generation of Students

Overview: DSW programs are often less structured and require more independence than other graduate programs. Utilizing a critical feminist perspective, this presentation will expand upon the importance of peer mentoring in achieving success in doctoral programs. This approach demonstrates how social components can improve attrition, retention, and completion in doctoral programs.Proposal text: Doctoral students can experience a lack of socialization (Fletcher et al., 2014), feelings of isolation, stress, and confusion about program requirements, as well as feeling overwhelmed and left behind (Ali & Kohun, 2006); which can impact graduation rates. Nontraditional students are at increased risk for those isolating experiences (Gardner, 2008). Doctoral students face multiple challenges such as balancing school, work, and their personal lives (Smith, 2020); many also maintain full-time employment, while completing coursework, parenting, and experiencing career and employer shifts (Geesa et al., 2018). Given the increased demands placed upon doctoral students, engaging in mentoring relationships is one way to support degree completion and overall success (Katz et al., 2019).
The last decade has seen a shift in the demographics of doctoral student enrollment. In 2019, almost 36% of social work practice doctorate students were African-American, 36% were White, over 20% were Hispanic/Latino, and 83% were women (Council on Social Work Education [CSWE], 2020). Students may also experience cultural maladjustment while attending programs within traditional structured academic institutions, leading to dissatisfaction, isolation, and subsequent attrition (Fletcher et al., 2014). Doctoral students in online programs have some of the highest attrition rates at 50-70% (Rigler et al., 2017). Factors contributing to higher attrition include stress, financial hardship, commitment conflicts, unexpected life interruptions, mental and physical issues, and changes in the family structure, (Martinex et al., 2013). These factors illuminate the need for supportive practices, helping to retain nontraditional students in doctoral programs.
This workshop highlights the importance of peer mentoring through a critical feminist lens to address the needs of non-traditional students and their intersecting identities. The benefits of positive interaction, social support, and peer relationships help reduce negative educational outcomes. Interaction between peers is a protective factor in doctoral student completion rates. Mentoring is a well-established, evidence-based social support strategy that can enhance academic, social, personal, and career outcomes of students (Studebaker et al, 2021; Chaffin et al., 2020). Peer mentorships promote satisfaction, social connectedness (Levy, 2021), and personal and professional growth (Lewinski et al., 2017). Students who practice peer mentorship were more likely to be satisfied with their graduate program (Katz, et al., 2019). This satisfaction increased among underrepresented populations like international, BiPoC, first-generation, and female-identifying students (Kendricks et al., 2013).
Participants will examine how the integration of critical feminist perspectives in peer mentorship may positively impact the retention and completion rates of doctoral students by centering unique intersecting identities of female students. A critical feminist perspective allows us to explore mentorship as a strategy grounded in mutuality and holistic understanding of women (Chaffin, et al., 2020). Social components of mentorship and student success in doctoral programs will be discussed as groups. Participants will receive concrete tools which can help foster and maintain peer mentoring relationships that can help increase satisfaction, inclusion, and engagement in doctoral programs. These peer mentorship tools aim to alleviate social isolation and increase overall satisfaction.