Exploring the lived experiences of academically gifted African American men at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) can lead to a better understanding of the institutional barriers this student population endures, the successes related to their journey, the factors that aid in their retention and persistence, and how institutions…

On the 400th anniversary of American enslavement the New York Times (NYT) 1619 project launched an interactive digital experience including a popular podcast centering the contributions and narratives of Black Americans. This study sought to understand how HBCU students responded to learning Black music history through what we term a "pop…

In collegiate mathematics, college algebra continues to be a barrier to graduation for students (specifically non-science, mathematics, engineering, and science majors). Each year, nearly half of enrolled students struggle to "pass" this course with a grade of C or better (Herriott, 2006). Using innovative constructed lessons geared…

There are many theories that attempt to explain Black student behaviors, and outcomes in college. However, many of these theories that are held in high regard, oftentimes reflect cultural bias and rely heavily on quantitative analysis such as enrollment rates, grade point averages, and graduation rates. This study utilizes a qualitative…

We explore how institutional types relate to individual students' depth and breadth of engagement, and the degree to which organizational pathways can increase the presence of marginalized students in formal engagement structures. Institutional type and organizational pathways increase student engagement, particularly for marginalized students;…

The authors chronicle developing and teaching a National Endowment for the Humanities-funded trauma literature seminar at a public Historically Black University. The course focused on how literary and visual art from different countries and historical eras address two questions: "Can people survive and heal after trauma, not just physically,…

In this study, student perceptions of diversity and inclusion at a Historically Black University were explored using a qualitative research methodology. Sixteen undergraduate and graduate students participated in individual and focus group interviews that examined faculty and peer relationships, campus programming, and methods of university…

High payments and default on undergraduate debt have consequences; they are of national concern if aversion to debt deters students from making optimal postbaccalaureate decisions on postbaccalaureate educational aspirations, enrollment, and early-career occupation. I conducted two semi-structured interviews, near graduation and six months later,…

Retention has been a trending issue throughout the history of higher education. Over time, various factors have been explored as reasons why students stop out, drop out, and simply are not retained. As previous research has shown, various factors impact the retention of African American students. This research stems from the researcher's interest…

This qualitative case study provides a deep dive into a teacher education program at Jackson State University, a Historically Black University (i.e. HBCU) located in Mississippi that is intentionally preparing Black men teacher candidates to successfully support the academic achievement of students in culturally diverse, low-income, and…

While a percentage of first-generation, low-income, minority, and academically underprepared students are committed to earning a degree, challenges such as the lack of academic and social integration, little to no social capital, and low self-efficacy have a negatively impact on retention and persistence. The students attended a Mid-Eastern…

Evidence derived from the 2012 and 2015 College Senior Surveys (CSS) noted showed that college seniors, at a historically Black university, graduated with little to average soft skills. Soft skills, such as personal characteristics and relations with others, are needed for students to succeed in postgraduate careers. The purpose of this study was…

The 'Sankofa' scale was constructed on the basis of perceptions of students about culturally relevant teaching and learning methods. This study established the construct validity of the scale. Participants (n = 171) who were students from a historically black university, reported their agreement regarding the presence and importance of teaching…

Little peer-reviewed literature existed on how the transition from face-to-face instruction to emergency remote teaching (ERT), online learning, and blended learning impacted the education of historically Black college and university (HBCU) students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The gap in the literature was significant given the longstanding…

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…