In Spite of the Odds: Exploring How Black HBCU Graduates Successfully Navigated PWI Graduate Programs

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of Black graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who transitioned to and successfully navigated Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) for their graduate programs. Utilizing a qualitative research design focused on narrative inquiry and oral storytelling, this research centers the voices of the graduates as experts of their own experiences. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with fourteen graduates, the study examines how these individuals leveraged their HBCU backgrounds to foster resilience and achieve success in PWI environments. The data analysis, guided by Afrocentric constructivist principles and the Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, highlights the agency, cultural affirmations, and support systems that facilitated their academic journeys. This research contributes to Black student success scholarship by presenting counternarratives that challenge deficit perspectives and underscore the importance of culturally responsive support structures in higher education, especially graduate education. The findings provide insights into effective strategies for supporting Black graduate students in diverse academic settings, emphasizing the critical role of community engagement and cultural identity in their success.