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Dawn M. Wilson, Ph.D., is a 2025 graduate of the Ph.D. Program in Couple and Family Therapy at Antioch University, New England

Dissertation Committee:

  • Denzel L. Jones, PhD, Chairperson
  • Kristi Harrison, PhD, Committee Member
  • Afia Ofori-Mensa, PhD, Committee Member

In a university classroom, Dr. Wilson stands beside an easel with notes on a large notepad, smiling after successfully defending her dissertation. On the other side of the easel, Dr. Jones and Dr. Harrison, with a video screen right behind them showing Dr. Ofori-Mensa. All four scholars are smiling.,

After Dr. Dawn's successful defense, from left to right: Denzel L. Jones, PhD; Kristi Harrison, PhD; Afia Ofori-Mensa, PhD; Dawn M. Wilson, PhD

Keywords

Black college students, academic socialization, ethnic racial socialization, pressure, shame, guilt, college retention, college persistence, mixed methods

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Black college student outcomes are well researched areas in education literature. This dissertation sought to explore the influence of academic and ethnic racial socialization on experiences of shame and guilt and examine the association of those relationships on Black college student retention and persistence. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to investigate the socialization experiences of 272 Black college students in the US. Conditional process model analyses revealed that academic socialization is associated with experiences of guilt and shame—guilt predicted improved retention outcomes, while shame predicted lower retention outcomes. The analysis also revealed that while ethnic racial socialization moderated the relationship between academic socialization and shame/guilt, it did not moderate the relationship between academic socialization and retention or persistence.

The major themes that emerged from the interviews included “Diamonds Are Made Under Pressure—Sociocultural Messages That Led to Experiences of Shame and Guilt,” “Birth Order and Gender Roles,” “I Almost Dropped Out—Experiences that Endangered Their Persistence,” “Me, me, me . . . messages about identity,” and “Support, In and Outside of Family.”

Combined, these findings highlight the interplay of socialization processes in Black families, the effect of those socialization processes on experiences of shame and guilt in Black families, and the result of those relationships on college persistence and retention for Black students. Recommendations for future research with Black students and families were made and implications for campus-based practitioners and clinicians were suggested. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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ORCID No.: 0009-0006-3005-0537

Photo portrait of Dr. Dawn M. Wilson, the soft focus background appears to be a university campus

Dr. Dawn M. Wilson

Bio:

Dawn M. Wilson (Ph.D.) is a proud first-generation college graduate who is dedicated to helping more marginalized students graduate from college and lead fulfilling lives of choice and freedom. She enacts that work at the intersections of family, education, and mental health. Dr. Dawn currently serves as the Associate Director of College Preparation Initiatives at Princeton University, to which she brings over 15 years of admissions and college access & success experience. Prior to joining Princeton, Dr. Dawn served as the inaugural Director of College Success for Cooperman College Scholars, where she supported the scholars on all points related to academic success, personal wellness, persistence, and retention. Dr. Dawn serves on a number of professional committees including the National Association for College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), First- Generation Low Income Consortium (FGLI) and is on the advisory board for More Than Bootstraps, Inc.

It was Dr. Dawn’s career journey working with students and families that led her to couple and family therapy; she wanted to be able to do more for families and knew that understanding family systems and providing relevant psychoeducation would help to eliminate barriers for students navigating their postsecondary journeys. She earned her Master of Arts in Counselor Education- Marriage and Family Therapy from The College of New Jersey, her Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy from Antioch University- New England, and is a provisionally licensed marriage and family therapist. Her research exploring the influence of family messaging in Black families on collegiate outcomes for Black students was motivated by the stories and lived experiences of students and families she has worked with over the years.

Dr. Dawn embodies her personal ethos: “be who you needed when you were younger." This sentiment fuels her work with students, allowing her to meet students where they are and aid in their “becoming." Dawn takes great pride in having a living body of work– students whose lives have been changed by the work she has done.

Research and Clinical Interests: Black families across the lifespan, Black college students, first-generation college students, postsecondary success, body socialization, mental health influencers, mother-daughter relationship development, socialization, identity development, justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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