AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Award (ODA) Webinar

Fight, Flight, or Fatigue: Examining How Latino/x Men Develop Validating Mentoring Relationships to Overcome Institutional Racism in Ph.D. Programs

Thursday, May 14, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 PM ET / 12:00 - 1:00 PM PT

Register Here

Edgar Lopez, PhD
Research Analyst
Institute for Higher Education Policy

Dissertation Title: Fight, Flight, or Fatigue: Examining How Latino/x Men Develop Validating Mentoring Relationships to Overcome Institutional Racism in Ph.D. Programs
Degree Discipline: Urban Education Policy
Degree Granting Institution: University of Southern California

Description

This dissertation examines how Latino/x men in social science Ph.D. programs develop validating faculty-student mentorships to navigate institutional racism and doctoral socialization. Through interviews with 18 students at R-1 universities, the study highlights mentorship strategies, key validating experiences, and barriers shaped by racial microaggressions and systemic bias. Introducing the concept of faculty aspiration fatigue, findings reveal how discrimination exacerbates self-doubt, risks of program attrition, and challenges in pursuing the professoriate, with recommendations for improving doctoral retention and equity.