Sheikia Talley-Matthews

Sister Outsider in the Academy Sheikia Talley-Matthews

Institutions of higher education in the United States enroll the largest number of foreign students in the world each year. As such, this book presents a phenomenological study that explores the perceptions and experiences of Afro-Caribbean international female graduate students attending Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) in the southeastern U. S. The experiences of Afro-Caribbean women have often been overlooked or homogenized in the literature as generalizable among foreign students or African Americans. Therefore, this book is guided by the following two research questions: 1. What are the academic experiences of Afro-Caribbean international female graduate students attending predominately White colleges and universities in the southeastern United States? And, 2. What unique factors have shaped Afro-Caribbean international female graduate students' experiences while attending graduate schools at predominately White colleges and universities in the southeastern United States? The data presented in this book are in-depth interviews with eight (8) Afro-Caribbean international female graduate students attending PWIs in the U. S. The findings indicate that Afro-Caribbean women navigate multiple academic and campus-based challenges associated with race, gender, and international status in schools. The book presents meditating processes, strategies, and recommendations for higher education institutions.