There has been a concentrated effort to increase access to college for students of color. The purpose of this research study was designed to investigate the influences of family on the experiences of college students of color. Earlier research studies incorporated many components that contributed to student success, but needed to examine the…

This qualitative study examined how Black women graduate students engaged in radical healing through the Homeplace Research Collective at the University of Florida. The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of Black women graduate students by focusing on the challenges they encounter within the academy and how their…

There is a lack of significant literature that highlights the lives of students who identify as Black women who are also first-generation college students. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the impact higher education has on the development of the sense of self of first-generation Black women. More specifically, this study sought…

The problem with Black male persistence and retention on the community college level is largely presented from a deficit perspective. Even though the causes include multiple factors, such as deficits in literacy and mathematics, and lack of preparation on the K-12 level, first-year writing is also a major stumbling block to persistence. These…

Black girls' unique needs are often ignored in the educational system and left out of the literature, causing their voices to be unheard (Harrison, 2017). Their negative experiences in school can lead to frequent absences, gaps in education, and missed opportunities to pursue higher education. This increases the likelihood of Black girls dropping…

This study examines how Black graduate women respond to gendered-racial microaggressions at a historically White institution. Using Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminism, this study also explores the social and psychological factors that contribute to their responses. Data suggest that participants' responses are influenced by stereotype…

Being the valedictorian is the highest honor bestowed upon a senior. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Jeffrey and Autry, the two high-achieving African American male participants in this critical race qualitative study, who were short-changed of their valedictorian status. Their cases reveal three themes: (1) these Black male students were…

Black people now have more access to college and are increasingly obtaining a greater number of higher education degrees than ever, yet for this racially marginalized group, post-secondary educational attainment success rates still lag behind their peers of other racial-ethnic groups (Snyder et al., 2019). While the higher education literature on…

The focus of this study was to implement a qualitative study exploring African American Students' experience of racial bias in higher education. The problem addressed by this study was that racial bias on college campuses has a negative impact on the African American students' academic performance as well as their pursuance of other educational…

This multi-site, embedded case study drew on qualitative data to uncover how Black Student Unions (BSUs) within a large California university system bridged or buffered Black student experiences. The central purpose of this case study was to gain an understanding of the Black students' experiences within the BSU, framing the overarching research…

This study sought to address the problem of the low persistence of African American women in engineering careers. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of African American women engineers on the impact of their educational experiences on their persistence in engineering career fields. Social Cognitive Career Theory was used as…

The persistent Black and White achievement gap contradicts one of the United States' core values: equal opportunity for all. In response to the problem, schools seek to increase Black students' achievement through programs like Advanced Placement (AP). Although schools have tried to provide an equitable educational experience, the disparity in…

Background: Engineering-oriented bridge programs and camps are popular strategies for broadening participation. The students who often serve as counselors and mentors in these programs are integral to their success. Purpose: Predicated on the belief that mentoring contributes to positive outcomes for the mentors themselves, we sought to understand…

Despite the best intentions of many educators, scholars have theorized that systemic racism and sexism are major impediments to the academic engagement of African American males. The current study explored a potential pathway to address this issue. In a sample of 223 African American male high school students, this study examined the relationship…

This study explores the intersections of race, gender, and trauma in students' school experiences. We collected focus group data from 36 trauma-exposed Black girls and 10 trauma-exposed Black boys from two urban high schools. Data was analyzed using an intersectional framework and resulted in the following themes: (1) Don't Touch the Students; (2)…