Hear Their Voices: Black Male Student Perceptions of Retention Initiatives At an HSI in the Midwest

<p>The enrollment of Black male students in colleges and universities over the last<strong> </strong>30 years increased yet Black male retention rates have not increased proportionately to the enrollment rates of Black male students. Many colleges and universities recognized the importance of increasing Black male retention and invested millions of dollars in Black male retention initiatives, mentorship initiatives as well as hiring additional staff dedicated to Black male retention. Black male students use a variety of social support systems and coping strategies to persist in college despite facing economic, social, and political barriers to persistence. However, many Black male retention initiatives at colleges and universities do not include the input of Black male students in the construction, implementation, or evaluation of Black male retention initiatives. In this phenomenological research study, the researcher explored the lived experiences and perceptions of Black male retention initiatives of six Black male students and six staff at Northsun University, a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the Midwest to determine the importance of an alignment between Black male students’ methods of persisting and Black male retention initiatives.</p> <p>Findings suggest that Black male students persist in college using a variety of social support systems and coping strategies, specifically peer mentoring, peer support, and informal affinity groups, but do not feel these support systems and coping strategies are reflected in the retention plans of Northsun University. Furthermore, there seems to be a disconnect between Black male student <em>actual </em>persistence methods and<em> assumed</em> persistence methods which has led to a low degree of engagement in Black male retention initiatives Northsun University provided.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Higher Education Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Watson, Joshua

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jackie Rivard
• Elizabeth Minor
• Jamal Scott

• Educational Leadership
• Higher Education
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/851

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1914