DIGEST-Volume10.4-FULL

26 TPC Digest | N avigating the dissertation process can take on a life of its own for students attempting to earn a doctoral degree in counselor education. Although many doctoral students start the journey, the degree completion rate remains just above 50%. Little is known about strategies for successfully completing this process from the perspective of the faculty or the students. In this study, the researchers interviewed 15 counselor educators who have served as dissertation chairpersons to obtain an in-depth look into the dissertation process from the perspective of faculty members. What determines if a dissertation is successful? Completion! Being classified as “all but dissertation” (ABD) is an indication that the process was neither successful nor complete. Anecdotally, many would say that the best dissertation is a done dissertation. While this is not a research-based concept, it makes sense to anyone who has completed the process and earned their PhD. Within the last decade, each of the authors of this article was successful in completing their dissertation, with two completing their process within the last 5 years. These personal experiences fostered conversations surrounding how we each were able to persist and achieve the goal of earning PhDs (four in counselor education and supervision and one in counseling and student personnel services). These experiences allowed us to connect with the data while being sure to appropriately bracket the strategies that were or were not personally successful. T he results of our study suggest five considerations that counselor education doctoral students and faculty should keep in mind to help students successfully navigate the dissertation process. These considerations include: (a) providing a structured process on a programmatic level, and specifically establishing a curriculum sequence and timelines; (b) strategically selecting and working with committee members; (c) intentionally focusing on supporting students in developing a scholar identity; (d) providing a supportive, relational environment; and (e) scheduling regular check-ins to increase accountability. By understanding these strategies, it is the researchers’ hope that more faculty will be able to move their doctoral students to—and through—the PhD finish line. Michelle Ghoston, PhD, ACS, LPC, LCMHC, is an assistant professor at Wake Forest University. Tameka Grimes, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Jasmine Graham, PhD, is an assistant professor at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. Justin Grimes, PhD is an assistant director for the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, & Inclusion for the Graduate School at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Thomas A. Field, PhD, NCC, CCMHC, ACS, LPC, LMHC, is an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine. Correspondence may be addressed to Michelle Ghoston, 7406 Reynolda Station, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, ghostonm@wfu.edu. Michelle Ghoston, Tameka Grimes, Jasmine Graham, Justin Grimes, Thomas A. Field Faculty Perspectives on Strategies for Successful Navigation of the Dissertation Process in Counselor Education