Purpose: Using survey research, the purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of diversity to examine perceptions of diversity and inclusion among majority and non-majority students at a predominately White university (PWI) and a historically Black university (HBCU) observing any patterns of difference between majority and non-majority…

On the heels of America grappling with various racial and ethnic inequities, this dissertation explored the experiences of Black and Latinx males who graduated with bachelor's degrees from 4-year institutions. Participants navigated through different environments, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs], Hispanic Serving…

Objective: The study aimed to understand the perceptions, knowledge, information sources, and coping skills pertaining to COVID-19 among two groups of African American young adults. Participants: African American ages 18-29 years enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and non-college enrolled young adults in Mississippi were the…

The process of pursuing a higher education degree can be particularly complicated for undocumented students as they navigate the K-16 pipeline. Ganas, or the desire to succeed, is a cultural value that can serve a motivation to overcome educational obstacles. Using portraiture, this article highlights the ways students demonstrated ganas in the…

Retention rate sophomore to junior year among African American male students is low at Academia State University (a pseudonym), a public Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in the Southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of African American male students regarding what…

The lived experiences of African American lesbians who attended historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have not received sufficient empirical attention; therefore, this study was conducted to understand and describe their experiences. The study followed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The multidimensional identity model,…

We use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the validity and reliability of three non-cognitive factors--resilience, grit, and growth mindset--as well as to examine whether those factors predict academic success for a sample of students primarily represented by first-year African American students at three Historically Black Colleges and…

Student persistence to graduation remains a critical measure of institutional success. Degree attainment is not only essential to the personal achievement of students arriving on campus each fall but has become a high-stakes measure for performance-based funding. It is telling, that even now, the pursuit of a college degree is characterized as…

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…

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of preservice minority music teachers at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Six undergraduate music education majors at two MSIs classified as Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) completed field observations as a part of their music education requirements. I conducted…

This qualitative study explored contextual factors that inform the college choice process among Black students with lived experience in foster care. Drawing exclusively upon in-depth interviews regarding the college choice process, specifically at a historically Black university, we identify three central themes: (a) self-motivation and resilience…

To examine the undergraduate experiences and perceptions of students who self-identify as LGBTQ during their matriculation at two church-affiliated historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), this cross-comparison qualitative case study sought the following: 1) to determine common experiences that positively and/or negatively shaped…

There is constant debate over the contributing factors that produce disproportionate outcomes in higher education between Black and White students. This study utilizes a symbolic interactionist theoretical framework and a qualitative phenomenological approach that pulls from the individualized and collective experiences of faculty, administrators,…

Female international students negotiate multiple identities as non-native learners and women in a society with different cultural, social, and gender expectations than their home countries. However, a review of literature on international students reveals a lack of comprehensive discussion on gender and the international graduate school…

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…