Abstract:
The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences Black doctoral counselor education (CE) students at Historically White Institutions (HWIs). This study was guided by the following research questions: How do past or present black counselor education (CE) doctoral students describe their experiences at historically white institutions (HWI's)? and how were past or present black counselor education (CE) doctoral experiences shaped by faculty and advisor support? This study utilized phenomenological interviewing as its method and Critical Race Theory (CRT) as its theoretical lens. A review of literature on Black CE students' challenges and perceptions assisted me in developing interview questions that were used to identity themes of participants experiences. Eight participants from HWIs participated in the Zoom interview and seven themes were found: (a) For me it was convivence, familiarity, or default, (b) faculty and peer support are important because, (c) we know that all skinfolk "ain't" kinfolk, (d) faculty support and connectedness, (e) white faculty lack cultural sensitivity and competence, (f) I'm always getting in where I fit in, and (g) you just gotta keep going. After careful review of the literature and data from this research, it was clear that doctoral CE programs at HWIs must do a better job and hiring diverse faculty, supporting Black students, and conceptualizing their experiences
