When Leyland Lucas pursued his Ph.D. at Rutgers University, he observed a lack of faculty in the business department who shared his ethnic background, being Black and originally from Guyana, South America. Lucas credits a small nonprofit, known as the Ph.D. Project, with aiding him in completing his doctoral studies. Currently a dean at the University of Guyana, Lucas expresses his gratitude towards the program, valuing the critical role it played in his educational journey.
For approximately 30 years, the Ph.D. Project has been offering guidance, mentorship, and support to students from underrepresented demographics pursuing doctoral degrees in business. Prior to returning to Guyana, Lucas served as a professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, providing mentorship to students through the Ph.D. Project. He emphasizes the importance of seeing mentors who have faced similar challenges as a motivating factor for success.
However, under the Trump administration, the organization has come under scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating 45 universities that collaborate with the Ph.D. Project, including schools like the University of Kansas, the University of Utah, and prestigious Ivy League institutions such as Cornell and Yale Universities. The investigation concerns allegations of violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act due to the Ph.D. Project’s eligibility criteria, which the department claims engage in “race-exclusionary practices.”
This inquiry is part of a broader re-evaluation by many universities of their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) partnerships and programs, following President Trump’s executive orders to prohibit DEI initiatives. Some universities have responded by closing diversity offices and altering staff titles to avoid DEI references.
The Ph.D. Project has not been immune to these changes. For instance, the University of Iowa ended its collaboration with the organization, in compliance with directives to eliminate DEI functions. Similarly, the University of Kentucky severed ties with the Ph.D. Project after the investigation announcement.
In response, the Ph.D. Project has adjusted its mission, broadening its application criteria. “This year, we expanded our application to include anyone interested in diversifying talent pools at universities and within corporate America,” states Alfonzo Alexander, the president and CEO of the Ph.D. Project. Despite this evolution, the organization is steadfast in its mission of creating opportunities in the existing environment.
The Ph.D. Project has successfully impacted over 1,500 doctoral students in its three-decade history, hosting annual conferences with sessions aimed at helping students navigate doctoral challenges. Alumni of the program have gone on to occupy roles such as university provosts and deans. For instance, Adrian Mayse, an alumnus, speaks highly of the program’s influence on his career, which includes teaching positions at esteemed institutions like Howard University.
The organization faces challenges in the current political climate, notably with federal investigations initiated via an online tip platform for reporting DEI-related discrimination. Such investigations often arise from public complaints, and some schools alter or discontinue programs following federal inquiry outcomes.
The potential withdrawal of federal financial support heightens the stakes, as indicated by previous actions against institutions like Columbia University. Despite this climate, the Ph.D. Project remains committed to its mission, with its leadership expressing optimism about the organization’s future resilience and continued positive impact on its members.