Cultural Wealth: Key Factors of Success for Canadian Women of Colour in a Doctoral Program.

Abstract

Graduate students who come from a background where neither parent has pursued higher education or specifically, who are Women of Colour (WOC), lack important cultural capital that could otherwise threaten or derail their pursuit of a doctoral degree. Yet, even with this prior familial knowledge, WOC still succeed because they depend on their developed cultural wealth (CW) to navigate through their doctoral studies. To thoroughly analyze this assessment, a theoretical framework that included: critical race theory, cultural capital theory, and Womanist theory was implemented. A six-item structured instrument was utilized to examine the educational experiences of 10 WOC doctoral students who were attending an elite Canadian university. The aim of the survey was to assess how these diverse students cultivated unique forms of CW through the telling of their stories.  An analysis of the data revealed six categories of cultural wealth that were significant and instrumental in graduate student achievement. These elements were: 1) Mother’s Influence, 2) Age Capital, 3) Survival Strategies, 4) Navigating Academic culture or “Know- How” 5) Mentorship, and 6) Spirituality.  The majority of the participants interviewed acquired; grants, publishing and funding opportunities, possessed all six components. Findings of this study suggest that experiential/cultural knowledge of WOC is valuable and important for further research in higher education; and that academic supervisors and administrators should consider using cultural knowledge as a guide and tool for practical mentorship, academic development, and supervision to ensure successful outcomes for current and future diverse students, especially for WOC in doctoral programs.