Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Are African-American Male Undergraduate Retention Programs Successful? An Evaluation of an Undergraduate African-American Male Retention Program

  • ARTICLES
  • Published:
Journal of African American Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research indicates an alarming trend of African-American male students failing to graduate once enrolled in colleges and universities (National Center for Education Statistics 2011). In response to this problem, various universities have implemented academic programs to provide support and retention for these students. This study examines a retention program with Freshmen African-American male students in a large metropolitan university. Specifically, this article seeks to highlight the impact of retention programs on African-American male students successfully completing their first year of college. Results from a mixed method design suggest that retention programs have a positive impact on African-American male academics, with specificity to increased grade point averages.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, W. R. (1992). The color of success: African American college student outcomes at predominantly white and historically black public colleges and universities. Harvard Educational Review, 62, 26–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baum, S., & Payea. K. ( 2005). The benefits of higher education for individuals and society. New York: College Entrance Exam Board

  • Bourte, G. S. (1992). Frustrations of an African-American parent—a personal and professional account. Phi Delta Kappan, 73, 786–788.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, M., & Steen, S. (2010). “Brother where art thou? “African American male instructors' perceptions of the counselor education profession. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 38(3), 142–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010, September). Back to college. US Department of Labor. http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2010/college/. Accessed March 2011

  • Burt, I., & Butler, S. K. (2011). Capoeira as a clinical intervention: addressing adolescent aggression with Brazilian martial arts. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 39(1), 48–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bush, E. & L. Bush (2010). Calling out the elephant: An examination of African American male achievement in community colleges. Journal of African American Males in Education, 1, 40–62.

  • Carini, R. M., Kuh, G. D., & Klein, S. P. (2006). Student Engagement and Student Learning. Research in Higher Education, 47, 1–32.

  • Childs, G., Jones, R., Nugent, K. E., & Cook, P. (2004). Retention of African-American students in baccalaureate nursing programs: are we doing enough? Journal of Professional Nursing, 20(2), 129–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chronicle of Higher Education. (2009, August 24). Degrees conferred by racial and ethnic group. Almanac of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/article/Degrees-Conferred-by-Racial/48039/. Accessed 21 Feb 2011

  • Cohen, C. J., & Nee, C. E. (2000). Educational attainment and sex differentials in African American communities. The American Behavioral Scientist, 43, 1159–1206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuyjet, M. J. (2006). African American men in college. San Francisco: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ford, D. Y. (1996). Reversing underachievement among gifted black students: promising practices and programs. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & AirAsian, P. (2009). Educational research (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gladding, S. T. (2012). Groups: a counseling specialty (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R., & West-Olatunji, C. (2010). Educational hegemony, traumatic stress, and African American and Latino American students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 38(3), 176–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harmon, D. (2002). In light of our differences: How diversity in nature and culture makes us human. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

  • Harper, S. R. (2004). The measure of a man: conceptualizations of masculinity among high-achieving African American male college students. Berkeley Journal of Sociology, 48(1), 89–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harper, S. R. (2009). Niggers no more: a critical race counternarrative on Black male achievement at predominantly white colleges and universities. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 22(6), 697–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S. M. (1995). Psychosocial development and black male masculinity: Implication for Counseling economically disadvantage African American Male Adolescents. Journal of Counseling and Development, 73, 279–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huff, R. E., Houskamp, B. M., Watkins, A. V., Stanton, M., & Tavegia, B. (2005). The experiences of parents of gifted African American children: A phenomenological study. Raepcr Review, 27, 215–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurtado, S., & Carter, D. F. (1997). Effects of college transition and perceptions of the campus racial climate on Latino college students' sense of belonging. Sociology of Education, 70(4), 324–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, J. D., & Michelle, W. (2006). The African American Student Center and Black Student Retention at a Pacific Northwest PWI. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 30, 24–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunjufu, K. (2005). Conspiracy to destroy black boys. Chicago: African American Images.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landry, C. C. (2003). Retention of women and people of color: unique challenges and institutional responses. Journal of College Student Retention, 4, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavant, B. D., Anderson, J. L., & Tiggs, J. W. (1997). Retaining African American men through mentoring initiatives. New Directions for Student Services, 1997, 43–53.

  • Maton, K. I., Hrabowski, F. A., & Schmitt, C. L. (2000). African American college students excelling in the sciences: college and postcollege outcomes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37, 629–654.

    Google Scholar 

  • Museus, S.D., Nichols, A.D., & Lambert, A.D. (2008). Racial differences in the effects of campus racial climate on degree completion: a structural model. The Review of Higher Education, 32, 107–134

    Google Scholar 

  • National Survey of Student Engagement. (2011, March 6). About NSSE. National Survey of Student Engagement. http://nsse.iub.edu/html/about.cfm. Accessed 6 Mar 2011

  • NCAA Research Staff. (2009). NCAA Research Related to Graduation Rates of Division I Student- Athletes1984–2002.

  • Peltier, G. L., Laden, R., & Matranga, M. (2000). Student Persistence in College: A Review of research. Journal of College Student Retention, 1, 357–375.

  • Robertson, R. V., & Mason, D. (2008). What works? A qualitative examination of of the factors related to the academic success of African American males at a predominately white college in the south. Challenge: A Journal of Research on African American Men, 14, 67–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers, K. A., & Summers, J. J. (2008). African American students at predominantly white institutions: a motivational and self-systems approach to understanding retention. Education Psychology Review, 20(2), 171–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwitzer, A. M., Griffin, O. T., Ancis, J. R., & Thomas, C. R. (1999). Social adjustment experiences of African American college students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 77, 189–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soloranzo, D., Ceja, Ml., & Yasso, T. (2000). Critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus racial climate: the experiences of African American college students. Harvard Educational Review, 79, 659–690.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprurgeon, S. L., & Myers, J. E. (2008). African American males: relationships among racial identity, college type, and wellness. Journal of Black Studies, 40, 527–543.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steel, C. M. (2000). Stereotype threat and black college students. AAHE Bulletin, 52(6), 3–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strayhorn, T. L. (2008). The role of supportive relationships in facilitating African American males' success in college. NASPAA Journal, 45, 26–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strayhorn, T. L., & Devita, J. M. (2010). African American males' student engagement: a comparison of good practices by institutional type. Journal of African American Studies, 14, 87–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sue, D. W. (2006). Overcoming our racism: the journey to liberation. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney, W. G. (1999). Models of minority college-going and retention: cultural integrity versus cultural suicide. The Journal of Negro Education, 65(2), 122–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinto, V. (1999). Taking student retention seriously: rethinking the first year of college. NACADA Journal, 19, 5–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinto, V. (2006). Research and practice of student retention: what’s next? Journal of College Student Retention, 8(1), 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Education (2010, April). United States Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2010/pdf/21_2010.pdf. Accessed Mar 2011.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Studies Department, University of Alabama, 153-A, Education Building, 901 13th St., South Birmingham, AL, 35294-1250, USA

    Michael Brooks & Christopher Jones

  2. Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Isaac Burt

Authors
  1. Michael Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Isaac Burt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Brooks.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brooks, M., Jones, C. & Burt, I. Are African-American Male Undergraduate Retention Programs Successful? An Evaluation of an Undergraduate African-American Male Retention Program. J Afr Am St 17, 206–221 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-012-9233-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-012-9233-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation