Surviving the Doctorate and Thriving as Faculty: Latina Junior Faculty Reflecting on Their Doctoral Studies Experiences

This study examines the experiences of Latina faculty during their doctoral education. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with tenure-track Latina faculty (who primarily self-identified as Chicanas, Latinas, and Mexican Americans) across the west and southwest United States. Resiliency theory was used to help structure and understand the findings. Findings show the nature and experiences of Latinas' resiliency during their doctoral programs in the areas of social competence, problem-solving, autonomy, and sense of purpose. The study concludes with a discussion on how academic leaders and institutional change agents can begin to address the education roadblocks experienced by academic Latinas.