With a decade-long stagnant 34% Black male college graduation rate, there was little understanding of how and why Black male initiatives, designed to improve Black male persistence and graduation in 4-year colleges, affected retention and graduation-related behaviors, as understood by the Black male participants in such initiatives. This…

African American male enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions saw a small increase between 2010 and 2019, rising nine percent over that period. However, their representation only reached eight percent of total undergraduate students by fall 2019, down slightly from nine percent in 2010. Only 37% of African American men who started…

The challenge of increasing the number of minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) degrees is a systemic problem. In the case of higher education, one of the main challenges also includes the retention of academically prepared minority students who are underrepresented in STEM degree programs. President Barack Obama…

Black males in higher education continue to face persistent challenges due to overt and covert racism, hindering their progress towards graduation, particularly within Historically White Institutions (HWIs). This study examines the factors contributing to the invisibility and barriers faced by Black males, including engagement, academic…

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.?…

African American males have had the lowest baccalaureate graduation rates compared to all other races/ethnicities and genders in higher education (NCES, 2019). Researchers have identified salient factors that contribute to or impede this population's persistence to graduation to mitigate this problem. One factor contributing significantly to…

The Cross the Finish Line e-Learning tool is designed to be utilized by Kentucky State University coaches and athletic department staff who work with Black male student-athletes. The Cross the Finish Line e-Learning tool contains modules that provide information on academics, mental health, and cultural competence to the user. When its use is…

In the United States, Black male students graduate at a significantly lower rate than other student groups, with 38.6% of Black males graduating in six years from four-year institutions and just 21% when time is reduced to four years. This qualitative action research case study used a focus group interview with six participants to understand the…

Latino students are enrolling in college at higher rates than any other demographic, but these developments have not been reflected in increased retention or degree completion rates. A disparity in the rate of degree achievement between Latino males and their counterparts has been referred to as the "vanishing Latino male" phenomenon.…

Community colleges are Black males' primary pathway to higher education. Less than a third of Black males, however, are likely to attain a certificate or degree within 6 years. Although no single intervention can formally improve their academic trajectory, interventions absent of culturally and gender-specific approaches and institutional…

Literature indicates that while attending a predominantly White institution (PWI), Black men often experience stigmatization and feelings of alienation. Despite concerns of racial tension experienced by Black men at PWIs there is limited research exploring the campus climate perceptions of Black men in college. While Black students may have some…

This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of nine African American men who graduated from predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the United States. Prior researchers have indicated that African American men enrolled in predominantly White colleges and universities exhibit lower graduation rates than other ethnic and gender…

Undergraduate first-generation Black male students enrolled in colleges nationwide are not graduating at rates comparable to their peers. Despite others' increased graduation rates, many undergraduate first-generation Black male students struggle to graduate. In the past decade, increasing research has focused on why first-generation Black male…

This convergent mixed method study examined the supports and barriers of Black male student persistence at a predominantly White institution in the southeastern United States through four research questions: 1) To what extent do mean graduation rates vary across self-described racial designations and gender over the academic years 2013-2021 at a…

African American males have the lowest retention and graduation rates of all races and genders. The problem at the local study site was that lower number of African American males from two public 4-year institutions were graduating from college as compared to all other ethnic groups and genders. The purpose of this qualitative study was to…