Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Ariel Harrison

Abstract

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) graduate students, particularly those who are single mothers, have historically navigated systemic barriers such as lack of equal education, financial resources, academic experiences, or administrative support in pursuit of academic success. School closures due to the health and safety protocols during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presented additional complications for BIPOC single mother graduate students attempting to complete their master’s degree, especially in school counseling. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the experiences of BIPOC single mother online graduate students, who were in the field experience stage of their programs. Six Black single mother graduate students who attended online, CACREP, school counseling programs participated in interviews. Data were analyzed through the lens of Womanist Theory and intersectionality by engaging in the hermeneutic circle; reading, reflective writing, and interpretation. The results of this study revealed barriers these women experienced to completing field experience, the resources utilized to mitigate these barriers, and recommendations for BIPOC single mother school counseling graduate students to successfully complete field experience and ultimately their programs. Implications of these findings can assist school counselor educators to promote systemic change by creating and implementing appropriate program initiatives to directly support this population in the successful completion of field experience to ensure eligibility for licensure or certification in K-12 school counseling after graduation.

Download

Share

 
COinS