Dannielle Joy Davis

Mentorship and the Socialization of Underrepresented Minorities into the Professoriate: Examining Varied Influences.

This study examines the mentoring component of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation’s (CIC) Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP). The national initiative, implemented on various campuses throughout the United States, seeks to establish a diverse faculty by encouraging the enrollment and completion rates of minority doctoral candidates. Results from interviews with former and current undergraduate student participants suggest that mentorship influences the individual, interpersonal, extra‐programmatic, and to a lesser extent, collective realms of protégé experiences. Study results emphasize the importance of faculty‐directed mentorship in preparing students of color for both graduate education and entrance into the professoriate.

The importance of networking in the academic and professional experiences of racial minority students in the USA

Through examination of the experiences of minority undergraduate doctoral aspirants in the United States, this study points to the importance of academic and professional influences of networking, as well as its role in the academic attainment and professional experiences of underrepresented groups in academe. The findings suggest that networking positively influences academic and professional lives of marginalized racial minority students. Recommendations for providing meaningful networking opportunities to students for postsecondary administrators and faculty are provided.

The future and diversity in higher education

Purpose – This paper describes and reflects upon the “Future of Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education: A National Forum on Innovation and Collaboration”.Design/methodology/approach – Participant observation, journaling and content analysis comprise data sources for this work.Findings – Featured sessions center upon the need for leaders in higher education to play key roles in advocating for diversity on postsecondary campuses and the move from individual to democratic merit in student admission and faculty hiring or promotion.Originality/value – Adjudication against institutions working toward diversity requires new ways of promoting opportunity for underrepresented members of the postsecondary community. The following work describes such strategies.

Women of color in the academy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize and reflect on four presentations at the 2010 Women of Color in the Academy Conference which focused on strategies that are beneficial to women, especially women of color, to overcoming barriers prevalent in pursing graduate degrees, acculturating to the professoriate, and building portfolios for tenure and/or promotion in the academy.Design/methodology/approach – Observations and notes were used to capture the content of these four presentations; thematic analysis was used to discern the major themes.Findings – The major themes presented were: the process of writing; productivity and publishing; pragmatic approach to quantitative research design; viewing qualitative research as an activity; and understanding the academy.Practical implications – The practical implications of these presentations are that these strategies may assist women, especially women of color, to attain greater success rates in their graduate education and professorial endeavors; thu...