Un(Bundling) the Black Experience at PWIs: Using Assets-Based Frameworks to Explore the Lived Experiences of Black Sub-Saharan African-Born Graduate Students in STEM

This article is a research summary of a dissertation in progress that explores the experiences of Black Sub-Saharan African-born (BSSA) graduate students pursuing degrees in the STEM fields at a predominantly white institution (PWI). This includes meaning-making of their experience with the campus climate at PWIs from BSSA graduate students' community cultural wealth, familial background, and other funds of knowledge in their educational journey and academic success. Hence, the study is guided by complementary theoretical frameworks that shed light on the assets of BSSA graduate students as they navigate challenging educational environments such as STEM departments and PWIs. The preliminary results of the study are presented along with implications of the research.