Weekend Warriors Unite: Six Women’s Personal and Professional Growth in Social Justice Leadership

Nationally, the attrition rate of doctoral students is high, and it is often attributed to a lack of support. In higher education, the attrition rate of doctoral Students of Color and other underrepresented populations is even greater. This article briefly reviews the structure of one cohort model doctoral program and its impact on the overall experiences of six members. The six women, referred to as Weekend Warriors, retrospectively share personal and professional experiences and common themes that amalgamated through their dissertation research explained through applied critical leadership. This article also conveys how the Weekend Warriors organized into a writing group, which ultimately supported the completion of the doctoral program and fostered continued growth in social justice leadership.