GRAD TRAC PRO allows minority students to report to school administrators in real time when they are struggling academically, feel unsupported, or on the verge of dropping out.
Additional Benefits provided: Student Early Warning Alerts to School Administrators - Mentoring - Time Management Resources - Financial Aid Resources - Student Networking Support Groups - Thesis and Dissertation Support providers - Job listing for graduates.
Learn MoreHaving good time management skills are essential to organizing, planning, and dividing our time between specific activities. Research has shown students with good time management skills demonstrate persistence at the doctoral level. These students tend to find positive ways to relieve stress, maintain their physical and mental health, and figure out how to carve out personal time for themselves, families and friends.
Research data have clearly shown having an effective student/ mentor matching process should
be at the top of the list and being aware and sensitive of the particular challenges for
underrepresented minority students in doctoral programs (Brill, 2014; Berg, 2016; Williams
et al., 2018). In addition, data have shown minority students often feel unsupported
at predominantly White institutions by faculty (McCallum, 2020). Social scientists have
argued that not having positive relationships with faculty can lead minority
students to feel like they do not belong, which can lead to students dropping out before
attaining their degrees. i • Berg, G. A. (2016). The dissertation process and mentor relationships for African American and Latina/o students in an online program. American Journal of Distance Education, 30(4), 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2016.1227191
• Brill, J. L., Balcanoff, K. K., Land, D., Gogarty, M. M., & Turner, F. (2014). Best practices in doctoral retention: Mentoring. Higher Learning Research Communications, 4(2), 26–37. http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com
• Williams, M. S., Brown Burnett, T. J., Carroll, T. K., & Harris, C. J. (2018). Mentoring, managing, and helping: A critical race analysis of socialization in doctoral education.
• Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 20(2), 253–278. https://doi.org/ 10.1177/1521025116657834
McMillan (2016) suggested studying and networking with peers in university help reduce stress when students are confronted with academic challenges or self doubt to complete their doctoral degrees. Feelings of loneliness and alienation are other key factors that contribute to a lack of doctoral persistence. Davis (2022) study found Cohort/student support was the third most cited strategy that participants identified as an invaluable support system. i Davis, D. (2022). “Utilizing resilience and persistence strategies to reduce African American doctoral attrition”. Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4095. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4095
Mentoring provides support to minority scholars with the strategies necessary to survive the rigors of graduate school, earn the doctoral degree, and succeed as members of the professoriate.
According to Davis ( 2022), “Economics plays a central role in doctoral persistence. The evidence suggests students will drop out of doctoral programs if they have to self-finance their education and can’t find other financial means to support their PhD ambitions”. Rudd et al. (2018) study found that students that had fellowships or research assistantships were 2 times more likely to complete their degrees. Grad Trac Pro is working towards building funding partnerships with educational foundations, government agencies, and corporate partners to support doctoral students struggling to find the financial resources necessary to complete their doctoral degrees.
Minority historical figures have made many sacrifices that created new opportunities for other minorities. It’s now on you to continue this journey on the shoulders of giants to create new opportunities for the next generation. Let’s meet this challenge.
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Grad Trac Pro is a research based socially interactive monitoring platform that creates a supportive and inclusive environment for minority graduate students. Grad Trac Pro allows minority students to report in real time when they are struggling academically, feeling unsupported, or on the verge of dropping out.
Grad Trac Pro is more than a student based reporting platform, it is an inspiring platform that encourages future minority graduates to persist and stay resilient in their journey with inspiring messages from renowned minority leaders, Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Cesar Chavez, Harriet Tubman, etc.
Our strategic objective is to create a warm and welcoming environment for minority doctoral students where they feel accepted and supported at their respective institutions during the process of attaining their doctoral degrees.
Learn Moreit is an inspiring platform that encourages future minority master’s and doctoral candidates to persist and stay resilient in their journey with inspiring messages from renowned African American leaders, Martin Luther King, Barak Obama, Cesar Chavez, Harriet Tubman, etc.
Our mission is to provide minority graduate students with essential resources and unwavering support that will assist them on their academic journey to obtain their graduate degree, while dually working with higher learning institutions to implement effective strategies that boost the retention of minority graduate students in pursuit of terminal degrees in their field of study.