On March 7, 2026, Cohort Sistas gathered in Washington, D.C.—and across the country—to celebrate five years of community, mentorship, and impact. This milestone moment reflected on what we’ve built together and the work ahead to sustain and expand support for doctoral scholars.

Cohort Sistas is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to bolster its Sista Circle Mentorship Program. This grant will empower Cohort Sistas to enhance its mission to enhance the recruitment, retention, success, and well-being of historically excluded scholars, especially Black women.

We are excited to announce the newest additions to the Cohort Sistas Board of Directors: Hillary Webb-Ganaway, EdD, Joanne Kamens, PhD, Stacy Blake-Beard, PhD, and Tiffany Wiggins, PhD. These accomplished professionals bring diverse experiences and a shared passion for advancing racial and gender equity in higher education.

Explore Cohort Sistas' key achievements, program enhancements, and resilience from our 2022-2023 Impact Report, and discover how your support shapes the narrative for Black women and nonbinary doctoral scholars.

We spoke to five current or former Walden University doctoral students to get their perspectives on whether Walden was a beacon of hope for Black women pursuing doctoral degrees or a predatory institution clamping down on the dreams of Black upward mobility.