Graduates: Paula Quick Hall, Ph. D.

October 17, 2001

I am writing to describe how participation in SisterMentors changed my life. I had been working on my doctoral dissertation for seven years when I joined the group. My first impression was that these women were phenomenal! They took seriously the task of helping one another through a very difficult process---sharing experiences, giving advice, and critiquing one another's work. I don't know that I had ever been with such a group of women so committed to each individuals' success and well-being. At first I just listened and hoped no questions would be asked of me. I was too moved and depressed to want to talk about my own work. Eventually I talked, and listened, receiving the care and insightful guidance I needed.

I had moved from North Carolina where I was enrolled in the Ph.D. program to Washington, DC since I no longer needed to be on campus and preferred living in Washington. There were advantages and disadvantages, but since I had no support group in North Carolina, I continued working alone in Washington with the guidance of my dedicated dissertation advisor and committee chair.

It may be worth noting that the absence of a support group was a factor in the struggle I experienced as a graduate student. When I arrived at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, there were 4 or 5 other Black graduate students in my department (Political Science) and yes, race made a difference. We found ourselves confronting racism in various ways and trying to speak collectively about departmental matters. At times we wondered if we would ever finish our degrees. One student was on a fast track, but most of us took longer. As we all tried to finish our dissertations, we worked independently, for the most part, meeting only occasionally socially.

SisterMentors did for me what I knew, from prior research on academic support and achievement, would be desirable. The irony is that when you most need the help, you may not be able to form a support group. This requires time, effort, and considerable skill, which many of us do not have. I will always be grateful that Sisterspace and Books donated the space and Shireen Lewis formed SisterMentors.

Through the dissertation support group I learned greater discipline and received the encouragement I needed to take the necessary actions. Simply having someone ask me to set short-term goals and to report my progress made a difference. Hearing from others about their struggles and uncertainty, and being able to support them helped tremendously. These women understood me, accepted me, and made me feel that the work I wanted to do had value. For these things I will always be grateful to SisterMentors, individually and collectively and to Sisterspace and Books for providing such a welcoming place for us to gather.