Black Women's Literary Mixtape: Our Self-Defined Experiences of Student Success

Abstract

The literature addressing Black undergraduate women's student success is growing yet remains limited in definition of success. Often outcomes-data drives the definition of success and what a successful collegiate experience looks like. This research study, grounded in Black Feminist Thought, and the Conceptual Model of Black Women College Student Success, uses sista circle methodology to explore how 3rd and 4th-year Black college women at predominantly Black institutions (PBIs) in the southeastern region of the U.S. self-define success from an anti-deficit lens, what lived experiences they describe as successful, and what they attribute to their success. Findings from the study indicate that success is not limited to outcomes-based data, but is self-defined as holistic, multifaceted, achievements, and fulfillment. The study adds to the growing literature about Black undergraduate women and student success. This research may inform the institutional support programs for Black undergraduate women and college preparation programs that focus on the holistic enrichment and success of Black girls and Black women.