Chapter 12: Dissertation in Practice (DiP) As Opportunity: Acting as a Mentor and Leader in a Doctoral Program

A student’s time commitment to a doctoral program can vary based on his or her professional, personal, and familial obligations (Ivankova & Stick, 2007). While research does not point to one specific factor that contributes to persistence, dissertation defense, and completion in a graduate program, institutional support, and personal motivation play a part in graduate student success (Ivankova & Stick, 2007). At the same time, the literature suggests if students are presented with opportunities for program engagement and opt to actively immerse themselves in their programs, particularly within their dissertation experiences, their involvement can yield powerful, long-lasting results beyond the dissertation defense and degree completion (Burnett, 1999; de Valero, 2001; Ivankova & Stick, 2007). This involvement is also contingent upon the institution and academic departments providing participatory opportunities for doctoral students (Burnett, 1999; de Valero, 2001; Ivankova & Stick, 2007).