THE SUCCESS SERIES

The Success Series consists of professional development workshops designed to equip current and prospective Black women and nonbinary doctoral students with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to remain successful in and beyond their doctoral education. 

Workshops are organized around four core themes: academic learning, career preparation, financial literacy as a graduate student, and mental wellness and wellbeing. Our aim each month is to address at least one of Cohort Sistas’ primary outcomes (educational, professional, financial, and mental wellness) in each event in the Success Series with an overall goal of equally addressing our four core themes across the year.

Prior to July 2023, Cohort Sistas referred to The Success Series simply as Professional Development Workshops.

Policies & Procedures

Success Series workshops are held monthly, on the Cohort Sistas community platform via our Zoom integration. They are typically scheduled in the second half of the month (between the 15th and 30th), pending speaker availability. Workshops last for approximately 60-90 minutes (1 hour to 1.5 hours). They are recorded and made accessible for continuous access via the Cohort Sistas community platform.

Success Series workshops ideally correlate with our monthly Cohort Sistas community themes, which are: list below. However, we also conduct workshops based on calendar or seasonal themes, such as Black History Month or Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Past examples of Success Series include: “ This Degree Won’t Break My Soul: Finding Joy in the Doctoral Process”, “Publishing Your First Research Article as a Doctoral Student”, and “Navigating Being the First: Celebrating the Accomplishments of Black Women in the Academy”. 

Workshops are beneficial when a deep dive into a specific subject matter is needed, and having an expert can provide valuable insights from a specialized perspective.  Our most engaging workshops often involve hands-on activities, group discussions, and practical exercises that allow participants to actively engage with the speaker and topic at hand.

  • On the other hand, panels are effective when a topic requires multiple viewpoints or when there are differing opinions that can enrich the audience's understanding. Our panel discussions are usually moderated by the Program Manager who guides the conversation. 

    We invite speakers and panelists with demonstrated expertise in the chosen topic to speak at Success Series workshops. We prioritize speakers who identify as Black cisgender women, Black transgender women, or Black nonbinary people who hold a research doctorate, but we also welcome speakers who do not have a doctoral degree or do not identify as Black, women, or nonbinary. Regardless of racial or gender identity, Success Series speakers should always have a demonstrated history in championing and supporting Black women and nonbinary doctoral students.

    We endeavor to plan out Success Series events quarterly. For example, all Q4 Success Series events (from October-December), should ideally be planned by the end of September. This includes choosing a topic, identifying and securing a speaker, and finalizing a date.

    Success Series workshops  are typically held Monday-Thursday, from 12pm - 6pm EST. We do not host workshops on Fridays or over the weekend, unless it is a special event.

    The Cohort Sistas Program Manager is responsible for planning and executing the Success Series. Programmatic support is often provided by the Social and Community Coordinator (particularly around social media marketing), the Executive Director (approving event costs), and an Intern/Graduate Fellow (managing the chat during the event). 

    The Success Series programming is free of charge for Cohort Sistas community scholars. Occasionally, we may charge non-Cohort Sistas scholars a fee to attend Success Series programming.

    For a complete list of past Success Series events, please visit the Events base in Airtable.

  • We measure the success of our programming primarily through quantitative methods including surveys and data collection and analysis. We define the success of our programming based on the reach of our programs (i.e.participation rates, conversion rates, etc) and how participating in our programming aids our community members in reaching or coming close to the goals of our organization.. This data is collected through analyzing survey data from our success series events and  obtaining and analyzing data from participants in our year-long and semester-long programs. 

    Reporting of our goals and outcomes are crucial to ensuring transparency amongst the Cohort Sistas internal team, our board of directors, and our community. Reporting these goals and outcomes also provide guidance as we continuously engage in improving and scaling our programs.

    In order to determine the success of our programming, goals are evaluated and established quarterly. 

  • In addition to analyzing our survey metrics to gauge the success of our programs, we also assess the efficacy of our programs through contracting external reviewers/evaluators to better understand what aspects of our program are working and need improvement. Our most recent evaluation of our programs included an evaluation of our Sista Circle Mentorship Program in August 2022. The results of this  program review are available upon request from the Executive Director.

  • We appreciate the support of volunteers to assist our program needs. Volunteers are managed by the Program Manager who provides guidance on volunteer expectation including expected number of volunteer hours, roles and responsibilities, and assistance and support. Previous volunteers have included application reviewers for our Graduate School Fair and Guest Mentors for Office Hours sessions. 

  • The Program Department aims to assist Cohort Sistas in meeting its organization goals in the most effective and efficient manner and to remain accountable to stakeholders, including our community members, board of directors, and funders. In order to accomplish this, the Program Department updates its budget yearly which is approved by the Executive Director and Board of Trustees.

  • The program budget includes software for the Sista Circle Mentorship Program, workshops and training for both the Sista Circle Mentorship Program and Success Series, and staff salaries.