Intergenerational poverty is a problem of immense concern within the African American community, where approximately 32% of children under the age of 18 reside in impoverished conditions. Although acquisition of a college degree is the sole determining factor most influential for social mobility of families in the lowest income bracket, only 10.13% of total degrees conferred in 2015-2016 were to African American students. Additionally, being first-generation and low-income, stressors are intensified and perpetuate cessation of enrollment in postsecondary studies. Utilizing a non-randomized sample, a causal comparative/quasi experimental analysis was conducted to evaluate whether African Americans, or students from low-income and first-generation families, had higher grade point averages, rates of retention, or degree attainment as members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program compared to peers who lacked program affiliation. Data showed no statistically significant differences in GPA or persistence in students who fit the sample criteria. However, a significant difference in undergraduate degree attainment was demonstrated in members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.
","abstract_html":"<p>Intergenerational poverty is a problem of immense concern within the African American community, where approximately 32% of children under the age of 18 reside in impoverished conditions. Although acquisition of a college degree is the sole determining factor most influential for social mobility of families in the lowest income bracket, only 10.13% of total degrees conferred in 2015-2016 were to African American students. Additionally, being first-generation and low-income, stressors are intensified and perpetuate cessation of enrollment in postsecondary studies. Utilizing a non-randomized sample, a causal comparative/quasi experimental analysis was conducted to evaluate whether African Americans, or students from low-income and first-generation families, had higher grade point averages, rates of retention, or degree attainment as members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program compared to peers who lacked program affiliation. Data showed no statistically significant differences in GPA or persistence in students who fit the sample criteria. However, a significant difference in undergraduate degree attainment was demonstrated in members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brown, Kimberly J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Open Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Teacher Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Toni Stokes Jones, Ph.D.","Wendy Burke, Ph.D.","Heather Neff, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:40Z","subjects":["African American","First Generation and Low Income","Post-Secondary Student Success Outcomes","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education","Higher Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1042","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Toni Stokes Jones, Ph.D.","Wendy Burke, Ph.D.","Heather Neff, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brown, Kimberly J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-09-18T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teacher Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["African American","First Generation and Low Income","Post-Secondary Student Success Outcomes","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education","Higher Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1042"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Intergenerational poverty is a problem of immense concern within the African American community, where approximately 32% of children under the age of 18 reside in impoverished conditions. Although acquisition of a college degree is the sole determining factor most influential for social mobility of families in the lowest income bracket, only 10.13% of total degrees conferred in 2015-2016 were to African American students. Additionally, being first-generation and low-income, stressors are intensified and perpetuate cessation of enrollment in postsecondary studies. Utilizing a non-randomized sample, a causal comparative/quasi experimental analysis was conducted to evaluate whether African Americans, or students from low-income and first-generation families, had higher grade point averages, rates of retention, or degree attainment as members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program compared to peers who lacked program affiliation. Data showed no statistically significant differences in GPA or persistence in students who fit the sample criteria. However, a significant difference in undergraduate degree attainment was demonstrated in members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Faring better or worse: A quantitative analysis of student success outcomes of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at Eastern Michigan University"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Toni Stokes Jones, Ph.D.","Wendy Burke, Ph.D.","Heather Neff, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Brown, Kimberly J."],"dc:date.available":["2020-09-18T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Intergenerational poverty is a problem of immense concern within the African American community, where approximately 32% of children under the age of 18 reside in impoverished conditions. Although acquisition of a college degree is the sole determining factor most influential for social mobility of families in the lowest income bracket, only 10.13% of total degrees conferred in 2015-2016 were to African American students. Additionally, being first-generation and low-income, stressors are intensified and perpetuate cessation of enrollment in postsecondary studies. Utilizing a non-randomized sample, a causal comparative/quasi experimental analysis was conducted to evaluate whether African Americans, or students from low-income and first-generation families, had higher grade point averages, rates of retention, or degree attainment as members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program compared to peers who lacked program affiliation. Data showed no statistically significant differences in GPA or persistence in students who fit the sample criteria. However, a significant difference in undergraduate degree attainment was demonstrated in members of the Eastern Michigan University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1042"],"dc:subject":["African American","First Generation and Low Income","Post-Secondary Student Success Outcomes","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education","Higher Education Administration"],"dc:title":["Faring better or worse: A quantitative analysis of student success outcomes of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at Eastern Michigan University"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teacher Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:40Z"}