Doctoral attrition remains a persistent challenge globally, particularly at the ABD (All But Dissertation) stage where candidates experience isolation, limited faculty access, and structural barriers to completion. This workshop presents an institutional cohort-based redesign model developed to support doctoral persistence and completion through coordinated faculty engagement, structured professional development, and peer accountability. Drawing from program implementation within an educational leadership context, the model integrates dissertation chair access strategies, structured monthly support sessions, and institutional alignment around doctoral progress. Participants will explore the systemic factors contributing to doctoral attrition and examine a replicable framework that shifts responsibility from individual student persistence to institutional support structures. The session will provide practical tools for designing cohort support models, strengthening faculty-student engagement, and building institutional accountability mechanisms that improve completion outcomes. This workshop is designed for faculty, program leaders, and administrators seeking sustainable strategies to support doctoral candidates and redesign support systems that promote persistence, completion, and professional success.

Authors:
Twianie Roberts, Tennessee State University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Twianie Roberts, Fulbright Specialist and Assistant Professor at Tennessee State University, researches leadership preparation, teacher retention, doctoral persistence, and institutional redesign in educator development.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-twianie-roberts-50386934/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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