Helping Give Away Psychological Science/Marginalized Survival Kit: Navigating Academia as a Marginalized Student

The ethnoracial makeup of individuals entering fields of psychology continues to change but the experiences of graduate level students of color in these programs is a phenomenon that has received little attention (Hsueh et al., 2020). When attempting to understand these experiences specific to racial content, the literature is almost nonexistent. Developing methods to increase the number of racially marginalized psychologists is critically important to the future of the profession and improving health equity for racially marginalized populations (Callahan et al., 2018). In 2016, the American Psychological Association (APA) reported that racial/ethnic marginalized individuals only accounted for 16% of the psychology workforce. Although the field has improved with regard to the inclusion of students and professionals of color, resistance can still be found when it comes to the commitment within psychology training programs (e.g., clinical, counseling, and school) to create a culturally competent and responsive curriculum for the provision of mental health services. Racially marginalized students in psychology graduate programs often face a number of challenges such as a lack of culturally similar mentors, insufficient undergraduate preparation, limited financial support, and nonoptimal institutional climate. The current presentation focuses on the creation of an open-access resource, “The Marginalized Survival Kit,” which is aimed at providing racially marginalized students with a variety of resources that can be used to navigate the difficult experiences that may present themselves in academia. The resource provides information at different levels of graduate training (i.e., post-baccalaureate, graduate student, internship, and post-doctoral) and for early career psychologists to ensure increased support and student engagement at all levels. Resources have been acquired through a variety of sources (i.e., manuals, online guides, current faculty and students, multimedia).

This resource is by no means comprehensive and there are more resources that exist. We would love for this to be a collaborative document among scholars so please feel free to add resources using the google form below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b0tMcD2hZIMrhq5u7JCW3yHbMvysILCaOoS3c12j5F0/edit#responses

Navigating the Hidden Curriculum of Applying to Graduate School
Successfully applying to graduate school in psychology often requires knowledge of "the hidden curriculum," which serves only to further disadvantage marginalized students and advantage those with privilege and access to this knowledge. Fortunately, there are several helpful resources that have been developed to reduce inequities propagated by the hidden curriculum. The following excellent resources linked below aim to help marginalized students navigate and demystify the hidden curriculum of applying to graduate school.

Obtaining Post-baccalaureate Research Positions
Research experience is one of the most important factors for a successful graduate school application. Full-time, post-baccalaureate research positions enable applicants to gain experience throughout the entire research process, as well as provide opportunities to author/co-author research papers and oral/poster presentations. Such research products are becoming increasingly necessary to successfully apply for Psychology PhD programs.

Choosing Your Graduate Program
Evaluating programs is incredibly important as a marginalized student because we need to ensure that we will be supported and have the resources necessary to thrive in that space. If those resources are not available, it’s important to assess how to navigate that space in a way that will not be harmful or hinder our success. For example:


 * Are there graduate student spaces that are safe for racially marginalized students?
 * Are faculty and graduate student EDI and anti-racist efforts collaborative?
 * What efforts are happening to create a supportive environment for racially marginalized students?

Below are a few resources that can assist with how to develop that insight or make decisions on PIs or programs.

Stage 2: What to do While in Grad School
Now that you’re in the space, trying to find balance between work, mental, and personal health can be difficult. These responsibilities can be even more difficult for marginalized students. Below are some resources that will cover a wide range of topics that may help you navigate the academic setting that you’re in.

Climate

 * How to manage negative experiences in graduate school, such as racism or microaggressions.

Mentorship/Advisor Relationships

 * General tips for graduate students on mentoring relationships with faculty, including identifying and maintaining positive mentoring relationships
 * Tips for faculty on how to mentor graduate students during stressful times
 * Advice on switching advisors

Professional Development

 * How to advocate and amplify yourself as a racial/ethnic marginalized student
 * General research/writing skill development
 * Funding resources

Managing Mental Health/Self-Care
Managing Mental Health/Self-care in the Context of Therapy
 * Managing mental health, racial trauma, and self-care as a racial/ethnic marginalized student

Collective Action/Organizing Efforts

 * Resources related to taking action to dismantle systems

Stage 3: Internships, Postdocs, Job Market
At this point, you want to make sure that again just like when applying for school, you have the support you need to thrive in your next academic environment. Also, ensuring that your value is not just tied to the fact that you are a marginalized person but because you have excellent scholarship.

Internships
Information related to internship and studying for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)
 * Join the APPIC Match Listserv to receive helpful information about the internship application/matching process. To join, send a blank email to subscribe-match-news@lyris.appic.org

Post-doc Experience

 * Information related to post-doc experiences (why do one? (e.g., publications, training, licensure & funding)
 * Join the Postdoc News Listserv to receive up-to-date information about the postdoctoral application and selection process. To join, send a blank email to subscribe-postdoc-news@lyris.appic.org

Different Career Paths

 * Information about different career paths (R1, academia, community engagement, activism, private practice)

Resources Related to Stage 3
Marginalized Survival Kit: Navigating Academia as a Marginalized Student - Google Sheets

Resources Listed by Medium
 NOTE:  The resources listed below are the same as the resources above, but organized by medium rather than career stage.