Over the past 40 years, colleges and universities have seen an increase in groups of traditionally marginalized people as students. Groups such as mature adult learners, African Americans/Blacks, and female students have closed the disparity gap but continue to fall behind their White, male, and female counterparts in terms of degree success. The attrition rates for these students are higher, the length of completion time longer. University catalogs, course information and overall university/college directives and goals do not reflect an inclusive environment or culture. Coupled with everyday societal challenges, these groups face various barriers to success, but being a part of all three intersections at once makes the challenges and barriers exponentially more difficult to traverse. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to interpret the meaning found throughout the formal educational experiences of mature Black women between 35 and 55 years of age who are currently working on or have already earned a doctoral degree.Not enough studies use the voices of mature Black women to gain awareness into the overall experiences of this group's multiple sites of intersecting identities. This study seeks to decrease this disparity and add to the limited body of knowledge that currently exists. By utilizing the lived experiences of these Black women, a better understanding and awareness can be gained of the inequities that older Black women face in the academy. Also, educational institutions can begin to realize the challenges and obstacles these women face. The knowledge that was captured during this study will allow educational institutions to begin the process of creating a more diverse and inclusive landscape for mature Black women to thrive and succeed. Furthermore, a higher success rate means more visually positive counter-stereotypical representations of this group in academia and in mentorship for future generations, enabling representational social justice, a term coined by my colleague, Dr. Mia Zamora at Kean University. By in large, Black people and more specifically, Black women, have limited access, and thus the privilege of experiencing and benefiting from positive representations in positions of power, in society, and on their doctoral journey. This study reveals various challenges faced by Black female doctoral candidates as they earn their degrees. These challenges arise from a unique intersectionality of race, gender, and age. Just as they are woven throughout society, these variables exist also within institutional doctoral degree programs; they are hurdles that Black woman must overcome in order to be successful. Furthermore, these barriers delay the achievements of mature Black women and produce impediments to reaching positions of leadership and power, in turn inhibiting the success of future generations.  [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]