Exploring Dissertation Chairs’ Lived Experiences with Dissertation Students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

In this qualitative study, we delved into the lived experiences of dissertation chairs at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Our study aimed to understand how dissertation chairs fostered dissertation students’ navigational, aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, and resistant capital. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with nine dissertation chairs at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The findings revealed that dissertation chairs played a crucial role in supporting dissertation students’ navigational, aspirational, familial, social, and resistant capital. The implications of our findings underscore the urgent need for continuous programmatic efforts to bridge the gap between doctoral coursework and the dissertation experience through the implementation of structured mentorship and alignment of the curriculum.