Research investigating retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) attends to environmental and programmatic influences on student persistence. Examining these structures affords the creation of generalizable opportunities that promote sustained STEM engagement. In attending to the experiences of 5 Black women…

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…

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…

In this paper, we focus on how Black students matter, from their perspective, in Ohio higher education. To better support Black students, policymakers, college leaders, and organizers must understand what is happening on the ground from students themselves. The words of the essayist and thinker, James Baldwin, are pertinent here: "Not…

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…

Some campuses are exemplars for best practices for racial inclusion in higher education, and they offer a vital opportunity to understand how to better include Black students. This critical life story analysis of Black college alumnae who graduate from a historically Black, women's institution, Spelman College, demonstrates the importance of…

One-third of student loan debt is delinquent or in default, creating a crisis in the United States economy and the lives of the students (Friedman, 2020 U.S. Department of Education, 2019). A more complex story is that of the African American student with default rates five times more than their majority counterparts (Mishory et al., 2019;…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how African American males describe their academic experiences regarding the factors that influence their academic outcomes while attending an HBCU across the United States. Astin (1993) Inputs-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) theoretical model was used as the lens for understanding what…

To address the persistent underrepresentation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in STEM, the current study utilized a quasi-experimental posttest waitlist control group approach to examine the effect of a 1-year virtual peer mentoring program on the academic, professional, and psychosocial outcomes of graduate mentors and undergraduate…

American women in the 21st century have more options from which to select a college education than in the past, yet there are some women who purposely select a women's college. This study examined the culture of women's colleges, specifically Spelman College, a Historically Black Women's College (HBWC) in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by White…

Theoretical modeling has been a widely used tool in the student persistence literature for many years; however, only recently has it been applied to the Historical Black College or University (HBCU) context in an intentional way. We investigated a theory of student persistence in commuter institutions at 2 commuter HBCUs (N = 147 students).…

This study examines variation in the cultural stereotypes African American women encounter at a historically Black university and at a predominantly White university and the possible differences in the stereotypes' effect. Prior research reveals a variety of "controlling images" of African American women in the society at large and at…

The current article examines the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) five benchmarks: level of academic challenge, level of active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences, and a supportive campus environment to assess the student engagement experiences of student athletes at Historically…

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing…