Semester Award Granted

Summer 2025

Submission Date

August 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Arthur Sementelli

Abstract

Disparities in doctoral STEM completion rates among underrepresented groups raise questions about institutional power and access in higher education. This dissertation investigates graduation rates among minority doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, comparing results at public and private universities through the lens of elite theory. Elite theory asserts that power is concentrated within small groups or institutions that influence national and institutional outcomes. Although public administration literature addresses elite power structures in universities, less research has examined how these dynamics influence graduation for underrepresented groups in doctoral STEM disciplines.

This study applies elite theory to explore disparities in doctoral completions and examines the impact of public policies, institutional resources, and governance structures on minority student success. Mentorship is recognized as a policy intervention that can address inequities by helping underrepresented students navigate educational challenges. However, effective mentorship requires university commitment through funding mechanisms, mentorship infrastructure, and diverse representation. This study evaluates the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) mentorship program’s impact on minority doctoral graduation outcomes, using both fixed effects and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models. The analysis utilizes institutional-level data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to examine public or private sectoral differences affecting mentorship initiatives’ effectiveness.

Ultimately, the dissertation contributes to public administration by integrating elite theory into discussions of educational equity and providing empirical evidence on the relationship between the IMSD mentorship program and graduation rates of underrepresented biomedical doctoral students. It conceptualizes governance structures and institutional autonomy within universities, applying variables that reflect institutional capacity and resource intensity to determine their effect on minority biomedical doctoral students. This work underscores the importance of targeted policies supporting underrepresented groups to enhance our understanding of higher education dynamics influencing student achievement.

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