The McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program: Toward a seamless approach to the production of African American doctorates

Despite annual increases in the number of African American doctoral degree recipients in the U.S., underrepresentation continues, particularly in the natural sciences. This article provides a description and preliminary assessment of the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program (MDFP) in the state of Florida and its efforts to address this issue by adopting a "seamless" approach - academic, social, motivational - in supporting Blacks pursuing a doctoral degree and beyond Although a formal evaluation is needed to assess the effects of the seamless approach relative to more traditional assistantship and fellowship programs, the success of the MDFP suggests a need to reconsider graduate support for minority students that does not address the full range of factors leading to successful completion of the doctorate. Implications for educational policy are discussed.