Measuring the Influence of Internship Participation on Black Business Majors’ Academic Performance at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract

The relationship between college grades and internship participation for Black business majors at HBCUs was examined in this study. Participants were 376 Black business majors (65% female, 26% non-traditional age, 66% first-generation) at 40 HBCUs across the nation who responded to the 2016–2017 national administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement. Group mean difference and hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed no statistically significant differences by internship status, although several personal and academic factors predicted Black business majors’ grades controlling for confounding factors. Though statistically insignificant, the key finding holds practical significance for business educators and others at HBCUs. Key implications of policy, practice, and future research are delineated for business educators and related fields.