Today, higher education is in a state of flux. Changing dynamics, from accreditation to unsustainable economic models, have forced colleges and universities to examine their fundamental principles while also grappling with the changing needs of the national and globalized workforce, including the shift to online learning. At the same time, the…

Teacher preparation program agendas include culturally responsive teaching (CRT) due to the student diversity in modern elementary classrooms. Overwhelmingly, White, middle-class English-speaking women who may not completely understand their students' cultural backgrounds are teachers in those culturally diverse classrooms. In schools where…

The purpose of this study was to examine the college experiences (academic, athletic, and social) of two groups of Black female college athletes at a Division I historically Black college and /university (HBCU). Utilizing sense of belonging theory, the current study explored how Black female college athletes navigate their experiences and manage…

Conflicts based on race and ethnicity have been documented in CSD programs. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a racially based conflict that occurred in a speech-language pathology graduate program at a Historically Black University and how the program director, the university's chief diversity officer, the program faculty, and students…

A primary motivation for this study was to compare student perceptions and performance within a virtual learning environment to the traditional in-person learning experience for the General Chemistry II course taught during a 5-week summer session at Xavier University of Louisiana, a minority serving institution. The authors present quantitative…

Students majoring in non-STEM fields often identify introductory biology courses as irrelevant and overly rigorous. Resistance to enroll in a required general education science course, coupled with negative attitudes toward the subject, can adversely affect the academic performance of students; this can especially be present in students from…

One-third of student loan debt is delinquent or in default, creating a crisis in the United States economy and the lives of the students (Friedman, 2020 U.S. Department of Education, 2019). A more complex story is that of the African American student with default rates five times more than their majority counterparts (Mishory et al., 2019;…

The Accountability Plan is an annual report that is closely aligned with the Board of Governors' 2025 System Strategic Plan. This report enhances the System's commitment to accountability and strategic planning by fostering greater coordination between institutional administrators, University Boards of Trustees and the Board of Governors regarding…

Health inequities by race are ubiquitous and persistent in the U.S., and structural racism is understood to be the cause. However, there has been relatively little research on structural racism as an exposure. This dissertation will describe three ways to conceptualize and measure structural racism with the end goal of intervening to reduce health…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States met the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and increased social unrest caused by George Floyd's death head on to provide quality instruction and to support students in and out of the classroom. For many of these institutions, global and intercultural efforts…

The sexual behaviour of US youth places them at risk of negative outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. The US Centres for Disease Control recommend a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and relationships to improve these outcomes. Yet, sexuality education across the country, especially in the US…

This perspective article discusses how a health-related learning community was incorporated to help freshman students learn about health and wellness and prevent weight gain at an HBCU. Freshman students often gain weight during their first year away from home. These students make poor diet and exercise choices during their transition to college…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how African American males describe their academic experiences regarding the factors that influence their academic outcomes while attending an HBCU across the United States. Astin (1993) Inputs-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) theoretical model was used as the lens for understanding what…

To address the persistent underrepresentation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in STEM, the current study utilized a quasi-experimental posttest waitlist control group approach to examine the effect of a 1-year virtual peer mentoring program on the academic, professional, and psychosocial outcomes of graduate mentors and undergraduate…

Empirical evidence unambiguously asserts that a college education provides robust benefits to both individuals and societies. However, disparities in college enrollment and completion persist and limit opportunities for marginalized students to enjoy the advantages a college education affords, impeding progress toward equitable outcomes for all.…