ASSESSING THE VALUE OF THIRD SPACE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN DOCTORAL STUDENTS IN STEM DEGREE PROGRAMS

Abstract

The study examined how the NSF-funded, Maryland PROMISE AGEP program, theSummer Success Institute, functions as what is known as a third space. Ten African American doctoral students in STEM disciplines shared their perceptions of the benefits of being in a third space. The study hypothesized that SSI operates as a third space, promotes persistence, and combats social isolation in graduate school. The study expands on current work exploring the need for a program like the Maryland PROMISE AGEP’s Summer Success Institute to provide critical mass and its intended outcomes of producing diverse doctoral graduates who pursue faculty positions. This paper includes the works of Oldenburg, Bhabha, Yosso, and Lovitts’ research to frame the role of SSI as a third space. These approaches provide administrators, faculty, students, and institutions with theories that can be applied to efforts highlighting the positive aspects of graduate education and supporting African American graduate student persistence.