The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of African American males who graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Within the last 10 years, African American males have experienced systematically devastating results in social, educational, and economic outcomes at a higher rate than…

Over the years there has been an increase in the turnover of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) presidents. As the turnover rates at HBCUs continues to increase, many higher education researchers have noted that HBCUs are currently being plagued by a leadership crisis (Evans et al., 2002; Freeman & Palmer, 2020; Kimbrough, 2017).…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have with intentionality provided education for Black Americans for nearly 185 years. The majority of students, particularly at the undergraduate level across academic disciplines, are still domestic Black students, but at the doctoral level in STEM fields, they are not as well represented. The…

This dissertation explores the perceptions of African American male students regarding mentoring programs at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It evaluates the impact on career planning, academic performance, and self-efficacy. Using a causal-comparative mixed-method research design,…

Efforts to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have remained at the forefront of initiatives across the United States (U.S.) and elsewhere. The importance of creating a STEM workforce that is reflective of the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity of the overall population has been recognized. Peer…

The purpose of this study was to explore the professional and personal growth benefits for women faculty who engage in mentor and mentee relationships. The problem areas focus on the many obstacles to securing mentoring relationships for women faculty in higher education. There are many obstacles to securing mentoring relationships for junior…

African American women seeking senior administrative roles in higher education have few role models or defined pathways for advancement. These women only comprise 4% of all full-time college and university faculty which represents a gateway position to leadership roles. With low representation among faculty and in senior leadership positions,…

Maintaining and increasing student retention is a challenge for small institutions especially small private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). There are factors which contribute to this problem of practice and solutions that could increase student retention given more research and analysis. The purpose of this instrumental case…

This study employed a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design to provide a richer understanding of the relationship between peer mentoring and the academic success of students in STEM gatekeeper courses. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors contributing to the students' retention and persistence in a STEM program at an HBCU by…

The decreasing number of African American graduates at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) holds negative implications for the African American community and reflects negatively on universities aiming to increase diversity and retention rates (Brittian et al., 2009). Over the last 15 years, the Grade Point Average (GPA) of many…

Black male community college students have the lowest retention and completion rates among any racial group (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2017). During this dissertation, I examined the root causes of Black male community college students' low graduation rates through a systematic literature review, and then identified mentoring…

The purpose of this phenomenological was to identify and understand how Black Male Initiative programs contributed to the completion of an undergraduate degree for Black males at HBCUs. The study's central research question was: What role does the Black Male Initiative (BMI) play in Black male undergraduate degree completion at HBCUs in the U.S.?…

Given the critical role of mentoring in the success of African American males in college, it is essential to gain a deeper understanding of how mentoring programs can best support African American male students and what elements contribute to their success (Henry, 2021). Recognizing that mentoring significantly influences the retention, academic…

What factors, as perceived by adjunct faculty in an academic department at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) institution, had the greatest impact on adjunct faculty and their decision to continue to serve in the part-time role? In this study, I explore the effects of not receiving professional development and mentorship can cause…

Internships are widely promoted high-impact practices that can have positive impacts on students' academic and post-graduate success, yet how specific features facilitate these outcomes is understudied. Instead, internships are often studied in terms of mere participation, without recognizing that these experiences are complex pedagogic spaces…