A Qualitative Inquiry on the Multidimensional Racial Development among First-Year African American College Students Attending a Predominately White Institution

Abstract

While persistence and completion rates in postsecondary education are on the rise, gaps based on racial/ethnic demographics remain. This is particularly evident at predominately White institutions (PWIs), despite increasing enrollment of African Americans at these institutions. Previous studies have linked psychosocial health of African American students with positive educational outcomes. Using qualitative data from a study of first-year African American students at a PWI, this article examines the influence of racial identity development on the educational experiences through an interpretive theoretical framework-the Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity (MMRI). Five themes are presented, representing the influence of both internal reconceptualization of racial identity and external sources of support. Implications for policy development and future research are discussed. Keywords: African American students, postsecondary education, identity development, student persistence Postsecondary degree attainment has generated significant scholarly attention in recent years, particularly for traditionally underrepresented students (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2009; Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, & Person, 2006; Sacks, 2008). While recent evidence suggests that persistence and completion rates at four-year colleges and universities are on the rise, a closer examination of the data reveals continued disparities based racial/ethnic demographics. In particular, persistence and degree completion rates for African American students continue to lag behind White students. Among a cohort of students who began at a four-year postsecondary institution in the 2003, 21 percent of African Americans dropped out of postsecondary education three years later, compared to just 1 1 percent of White students. A wider gap exists in graduation rates. Among a cohort of students who began at a four-year postsecondary institution in 2001, 42 percent of African American students completed a degree within six years, compared to 60 percent of White students (Aud et al., 2010). To address these observed educational inequities, considerable attention has been paid to the experiences of African American college students, particularly those who attend predominately White institutions (PWIs). Since McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents decision in 1950 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 established de jure access to all institutions of higher education regardless of race, African American students have increasingly enrolled at PWIs. By 2001, approximately 87 percent of all African American students in postsecondary education were enrolled in a non-historically Black college or university (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Despite increasing enrollment rates for African American students at PWIs, establishing relationships and maintaining engagement on campus continues to present unique difficulties (Alien, 1992; Cabrera et al. 1999; Fries-Britt & Turner, 2002; Guiffrida, 2005; Hurtado et al. 1 998). When compared to their White peers, African American students at PWIs are more likely to develop perceptions of a racially hostile climate on campus. Based on direct experiences and observations, these feelings often lead to a sense of alienation, inhibiting an establishment connection and commitment to the institution. The feeling of isolation among African American students attending PWIs is of particular concern during the first year of college. Most first-time college students face academic and social challenges as they transition to the institution (Elkins, Braxton, & James 2000; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Upcraft, Gardner, & Barefoot, 2004). For African Americans attending PWIs, this difficult transition may become overwhelming, contributing to the persistence and degree completion disparities based on racial/ethnic categories. As first-year experiences have demonstrated a strong connection to persistence and degree attainment, it is critical to examine issues related to transitional experiences of African American students attending PWIs. …