PhD Student in the Higher Education Administration Program at Texas A&M University
Symone A. McCollum (she/her/hers) is a third-year PhD student in the Higher Education Administration Program at Texas A&M University. Before joining Texas A&M University, Symone received her Bachelor of Science in Education and Public Policy and a Master of Education in Higher Education from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include the educational trajectories of Black women in higher education, policies and practices that impact Black women’s educational trajectories, and Black women’s use of social media/technology. Symone also maintains a broader research interest in graduate student retention and support at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.
Symone’s dissertation research will examine how Black women doctoral students at historically white institution use digital communities while navigating their graduate programs. Through a digital Black feminism theoretical lens and endarkened storywork methodology, she will investigate the extent to which digital communities serve as counterspaces for Black women doctoral students, helping them persist and reach their academic and professional aspirations.