Identifying Cultural Traits Contributing to Black Males' Success in Community College

Abstract

The disparities in representation of Blacks in institutions of higher learning are well documented. Even with significant rises in enrollment over the last several decades, Blacks comprise just 12.6 percent of the community college student body (Cohen, Brawer, & Kisker, 2014). Recently there has been a resurgent spotlight placed on institutions’ need to increase diversity because of the emphasis being placed on bridging gaps in equity and inclusion. Black people aged eighteen to forty-four years old, are being admitted to community college at a rate that eclipses their proportion of the population (Cohen, Brawer, & Kisker, 2014); and while this is encouraging, admission does not always correlate to completion, However, for an overwhelming number of Black community college students, graduation is attainable and achieved. This narrative case study will identify the personal traits that contribute to the success of Black males matriculating in community college. More specifically, the study will identify the personal cultural traits of Black males that underscore their collegiate efforts and sustain them until completion.