African American male enrollment in higher education has been declining for decades and African American male completion rates in higher education continue to demonstrate wide disparities. Explanations for these statistics are too often framed through deficit lenses that reinforce negative stereotypes about the motivations and capabilities of…

The disproportionate representation of Black men in mathematics has perplexed researchers for decades, and the undergraduate space has been championed as a lever to help remedy this issue. Thus, more research is needed that examines Black men's experiences as mathematics majors. To advance knowledge in the field of higher education, this yearlong…

The stereotype inoculation model proposes that environments primarily comprised of underrepresented in-group members afford them protection against the inimical effects of stereotypes. We conducted a macrolevel test of this model by examining the conditional effects of university context on students' perceptions of threatening race-science,…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) excel at providing inclusive and supportive environments for Black students--and technology is important to support, not supplant, their strong in-person culture. This report examines the critical role of digital learning infrastructure at HBCUs and its impact on student success. The report…

Low retention and graduation rates among African American college students remain a national concern (Pike & Robbins, 2020). Many dropped out within their first year of enrollment (Gordon et al., 2021). Researchers attributed high attrition to low graduation and retention rates (Oates, 2019). Tinto and Cullen's (1973) Model of Departure and…

In an article written by Matthew Randazzo (2017) titled "Students Shouldn't Live in STEM Deserts," he revealed that a limited number of educational opportunities exist for students to gain essential STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills. This need for more STEM minds is bolstered by a widespread economic shift…

Although many studies have examined gender and racial discrepancies in STEM participation, few have considered variation in the gendered construction of STEM across racial spaces. We applied a cultural psychological perspective to investigate whether variation in conceptions of gender identity across African American and European American settings…

This dissertation explores the social, institutional, and structural conditions believed to be at the center of the racial disparities that influence access and participation within secondary and post-secondary environments of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. More specifically, this study investigates the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the qualifying cumulative grade point average (C-GPA) and grit in engineering students compared with African American female engineering students, who qualify to take upper-level courses in engineering at a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in a Southern state.…

This study explores the integration of career development into performing arts curriculum and its relevance to job satisfaction in the labor market for African American Music degree graduates. Through a phenomenological analysis utilizing interpretative analysis and snowball sampling, 11 interviews were conducted across two Historically Black…

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were created to educate Black Americans. While these institutions are often diverse, they predominantly serve Black students and provide an educational experience that is steeped in Black history and rich in Black culture. This study explored how a public, medium-sized, primarily residential…

Over the past several decades, writing center scholarship has evolved to include multiple theories and pedagogies that led to widely used best practices. As is the case in many disciplines, often writing centers at large, research PWIs are most often cited and highlighted within the scholarship. While many of those readings do offer helpful…

Finding the right college is a challenge for all students, but Black families face additional challenges and questions when navigating the admissions process. Veteran admissions experts Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown demystify this complexity by advising families on when to begin the process, where to apply, and how to be a…

This qualitative study examined the college choice process of high-achieving, secondary African American female students enrolled at a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-focused Academy aspiring to study STEM at a 4-year college or university. Minority women, unlike White women and racial minority men, face a double bind as…

Background: Literature shows a litany of health issues disproportionately impacting Black Americans, with physical inactivity as a major risk factor. Purpose: This study seeks to understand the role of smartwatches in physical activity uptake and subsequent improvement in health outcomes for students at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges &…