ABSTRACT
The pathway to complete a doctoral degree is often filled with challenges, isolation, barriers, and imposter syndrome. However, research has found that mentorship and community are crucial agents to the success of graduate students, particularly those of marginalized identities. This chapter discusses a Black woman's doctoral experiences and how she found a village during her academic journey—particularly noting that it “takes a village to raise a child.” One of the fundamental factors of this village was the unique opportunity to have a dissertation committee comprised entirely of Black women. Having a dissertation committee consisting solely of Black women is an unprecedented privilege noting the small percentages of Black women faculty in the professoriate, which leads to an even lower number of Black women that can serve as faculty mentors. This chapter discusses the lessons and parables the dissertation committee shared during the process, and how these Black women served as “mothers” in an academic village.
