African American Students Research Articles

The Persistence of First-Generation African American Female Students at Private HBCUs

The purpose of this study was to understand the persistence or lack of persistence of first-generation, African American female students at an Historic Black College and University (HBCU). The study utilized Tinto’s (1975) student integration model for persistence as the foundation for the research questions. Those questions were: 1) How does pre-entry attributes influence the persistence of first-generation African American female students? 2) How does academic integration influence the persistence of first-generation African American female students? And 3) How does social integration impact the success of first-generation African American female students? Thirteen first-generation African American female students aged 18 to 21 years old, who were juniors or seniors at an HBCU, shared their experiences. Nine themes emerged from this research: socioeconomic factors, support systems, academic preparedness, faculty and staff engagement, academic and financial support, and campus resources and support services. This study found that understanding and addressing the socio-cultural dynamics of these students can contribute to the development of targeted interventions and support mechanisms for this population. In addition, socioeconomic factors, such as income level, parental education, and financial resources, often provide distinct hurdles in terms of academicpreparedness for college-level coursework. Active engagement by faculty and staff with these students improves their sense of belonging, promotes emotional wellbeing, and furthers academic success. Finally, academic and financial support can address the specific issues and barriers that these students commonly face.

STRIVING TO SUCCEED: ETHNIC-RACIAL SOCIALIZATION AS AN ADAPTIVE MECHANISM FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS

ABSTRACT Attending predominantly White institutions have been associated with certain challenges of academic success for African American college students. Although there are challenges, studies indicate that ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) may be an adaptive mechanism for African Americans. The current study investigates how ERS mitigates the effects of racial discrimination on the academic outcomes of 282 African Americans. Memories of school-related discrimination were negatively associated with academic outcomes, however, ERS dimensions were related to better academic outcomes. Certain ERS dimensions mitigate the effects of peer-related discrimination on academic engagement. Implications for utilizing ERS in university settings to enhance academic achievement are discussed.

Sex and ethnic/racial differences in disordered eating behaviors and intuitive eating among college student.

Eating behaviors encompass disordered eating behaviors (e.g., overeating, binge eating, and associated symptoms of binge eating) and intuitive eating. Certain disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating, are more prevalent among female and ethnic/racial-minority college students than male and/or non-Hispanic White college students. However, sex and ethnic/racial differences among college students with other disordered eating (e.g., associated symptoms of binge eating) and intuitive eating behaviors remain unclear. In 2022, 887 college students (Mage = 20.9 ± 2.6 years) self-reported their sex, ethnicity/race, disordered eating behaviors (e.g., overeating, binge eating, associated symptoms of binge eating), and intuitive eating. To examine sex and ethnic/racial differences among these students, we used modified Poisson regressions for students who reported disordered eating and linear regressions for students who reported intuitive eating. Except for overeating, disordered eating behaviors were more prevalent among female [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 1.3-1.8] than male college students after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, whereas intuitive eating scores did not differ by sex. Across ethnic/racial groups, disordered eating was more prevalent among all ethnic/racial-minority college students (aPR = 1.2-2.3) than non-Hispanic White college students after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Moreover, non-Hispanic Black or African American college students had higher intuitive eating scores than non-Hispanic White college students (adjusted β = 0.7, 95% CI = -0.2, 1.6). In our sample, notable differences emerged in the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors and mean scores by sex and ethnicity/race, while differences in intuitive eating scores emerged based on ethnicity/race.

Competency Based Education Pilot in Illinois: Preliminary Findings

In this study we employed regression analysis and between-group matched pair design to analyze whether participation in a competency-based education pilot was associated with improved high school completion and postsecondary entry. Data were obtained for high schools participating in a CBE pilot program in Illinois. Results of the matched pair design showed that CBE participation was significantly associated with higher rates of high school graduation for seniors across all groups with differences significant overall (97.2% for CBE vs. 93.1% for non-CBE), for White students (97.2% vs. 92.7%), and for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (96.3% vs. 90.3%). Graduation rate for seniors was also higher for African American students and for Hispanic-Latinx students, but the differences were not statistically significant. In the matched pair design, CBE participation was not significantly associated with entry into college within 12 months of high school.

Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Community: Training the Next Generation of Scientists in the Jackson Heart Study.

The aim of this article is to show the impact of the use of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research supplements in the training of African American students affiliated with the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). The JHS Undergraduate Training and Education Center (UTEC) at Tougaloo College has had 19 students to be awarded research supplements. The awardees gained invaluable skills while working on the research supplements. Additionally, research supplement awards inspired these students to not only consider working in health-related fields, but to continue to engage in research activities and to mentor.

The Experiences of Black Students in Physical Therapy Education in Texas: A Qualitative Study.

Racial or ethnic minorities are underrepresented in many health care professions, including physical therapy. Understanding the experiences of minority students in graduate education provides insight into how physical therapy educational programs can promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, which are factors that have been shown to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively analyze and describe the lived experiences of Black student physical therapists (PT) in Texas. Currently, there is a lack of qualitative research that investigates the experiences of Black students in physical therapy education in the United States. Nineteen Doctor of Physical Therapy students from 8 different physical therapy educational programs in Texas. This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. All participants took part in a focus group regarding their academic experiences. Students' dialogues were recorded and transcribed, and the researchers identified recurrent themes. After the analysis of focus group content, it was determined that the following 5 themes characterized the students' experiences: 1) Barriers to enrollment, 2) underrepresentation, 3) implicit and explicit racism, 4) code-switching, and 5) desired image. There is evidence to suggest that Black or African American students are subject to unique pressures that negatively affect their experiences during their PT education. Efforts need to be made by higher education institutions and individuals to provide a more inclusive environment to best support those students. By gaining awareness of the results of this study, educators and students can begin dialogues on how to foster inclusivity and cultural understanding in physical therapy education. Ultimately, understanding the experiences of others can improve how individuals coexist in an increasingly diverse society, and how clinicians provide patient-centered, culturally aware care to patients and clients.

“I can’t Breathe”: a Delphi study of the proverbial knee on the neck of African American male students

ABSTRACT The plight of African American males continues throughout America and is prevalent in its educational system. Not only are these students negatively impacted by low expectations of their non-African American teachers; policy makers are impeded from devising effective strategies to improve their academic achievement. This qualitative Delphi study explored teacher preconceptions of African American male students to determine the connection between teacher expectations and the academic achievement of these students. Moral exclusion and critical race theory provided the conceptual framework. The findings of the study revealed several perceived preconceptions that included the teacher belief that these students did not care to achieve a quality education. The results provided recommendations to improve the school experience of African American male students by increasing the cultural competence of educators. While the primary recommendation was for teachers to be trained in cultural awareness and diversity; this issue proves to not be an easy fix.

Black Lives Matter and other signs of solidarity: Perspectives from Black STEM graduate students

AbstractCreating inclusive and supportive environments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational settings are important tools for countering racially hostile academic spaces and attracting and retaining talented Black and African American students. STEM faculty and other university members may display Black Lives Matter and similar signs of solidarity to express their support for Black students. However, how Black students perceive such signs is unknown. On the one hand, the identity safety cue literature suggests such signs relate to increased comfort and a sense of belonging among individuals from minoritized groups. On the other hand, some contemporary perspectives toward Black Lives Matter and other signs of solidarity have been criticized for lacking substance and impact. Given the extant literature's omission of Black students' perspectives about signs of solidarity, the current study employed semi‐structured interviews and qualitative analytic methods to solicit and analyze the perspectives of 12 Black STEM graduate students. The findings revealed a general preference for some signs over others, as well as nuanced perspectives toward each sign of solidarity. Implications for STEM researchers and faculty who aspire to support Black students are discussed. Further, recommendations for adopting an informed ally approach are provided.

The effect of socioeconomic disadvantage for on-time graduation in an accelerated doctor of pharmacy program

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and student progression in an accelerated, three-year, doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. MethodsThe percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged students in Larkin University's applicant and accepted pool was compared to national data using an N-1 Chi-square. The on-time graduation rate for three classes of PharmD students were compared based on the economic or environmental disadvantage questions posed by Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS). On-time graduation rates were also analyzed by sex, race/ethnicity, and geographical area using a Pearson's Chi-square. Student academic admissions profiles were compared by race/ethnicity using analysis of variance. ResultsLarkin University had a higher percentage of applicants and accepted candidates from certain underrepresented groups. There was no significant difference in on-time graduation for students who answered yes to any of the economic or environmental disadvantage questions as opposed to those who answered no, nor was there a significant difference in on-time graduation by sex or geographical area. For race, there was a significantly lower rate of on-time graduation for students who were Black or African American, even though their admissions criteria were comparable to that of students of other races. ConclusionsStudents who had an economic or environmental disadvantage graduated on-time at the same rate as students who did not have such disadvantages. Black or African American students had lower on-time rates than other ethnic groups, but the reason for lower on-time graduation was unclear.

Early onset marijuana use and suicidal ideation among African American college students

Between 2013 and 2019 the suicide rate for African American young persons 15–24 years of age rose by 47% for males and 59% for females. Presently, little is known about factors that contribute to the suicidal behavior of African Americans in late adolescence and emerging adulthood. However, considering the coinciding increase in high potency marijuana use among African American young persons and literature suggesting a potential link between marijuana use and suicidal behavior, we examined early onset marijuana use as a risk factor for suicidal ideation. The sample included 221African American students (70% female and M age = 20.3, SD = 1.97) attending an HBCU between 2019 and 2020. We employed multivariable logistic regression analysis that included suicidal ideation as the outcome variable and early onset marijuana use as the explanatory variable, while controlling for demographic factors and mental health treatment status. Approximately 19% of the sample reported suicidal ideation. Early onset marijuana use was reported by 28% of students. Compared to students who never used marijuana, early onset users were three times as likely to report suicidal ideation (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.06–10.44). In conclusion, early onset marijuana use may place African American young persons at increased risk for suicidal ideation. Marijuana use may be an important malleable risk factor that can be targeted in suicide prevention interventions designed for African American college students. More research is warranted.

Integrating Study Abroad Research and Practice: African American and Black Students in Focus

Integrating Study Abroad Research and Practice: African American and Black Students in Focus

The Inequities Embedded in Measures of Engagement in Science Education for African American Learners from a Culturally Relevant Science Pedagogy Lens

Although African American educators strive to ameliorate racist and/or sexist barriers to learners’ science engagement in U.S. education, examples of applications of culturally relevant science instruments to measure African American learners’ engagement in science are hard to find in the literature. Inaccurate perceptions about student engagement in science education continue to exist, including assumptions about the prevalence and effects of low socioeconomic status, limited content knowledge, and a lack of interest or motivation of African American learners compared to white learners. Most exemplars of student engagement in science focus on the cognitive, behavioral, and social mores of white, male, cisgender, middle-class learners and their reactions to teacher pedagogy. This article reports on a qualitative study of three African American female and male secondary science educators’ narratives of “engagement” in science amongst systemic inequities in the northeastern and southeastern U.S. regions. To better understand African American learners’ science engagement, I combined socially transformative science curriculum approaches for African American students using five types of mastery with the concepts of culturally relevant science pedagogy as the facilitator of racial equity. A critical-arts-based research methodology was used to craft participants’ autobiographical data and drawings into a literary métissage of the participants’ experiences, memories, and culturally relevant pedagogical strategies. Themes included: (1) teachers’ recognition that their interest and positionality impacted their engagement in science; (2) their understanding of how identifying as scientists informed their career choices and modes of participation; and (3) their observations about how mentoring and vision influenced students’ attitudes about engaging in science. The major finding was that critical incidents that teachers experienced when they were students in K-20 schools influenced how they became engaged in science and constructed their culturally relevant practices as science educators. The implications of this finding for pre-service and teacher leadership development for equitable teaching and learning will be discussed, and recommendations for using culturally relevant science practices and navigating power dynamics will be provided.

Educational Equity: Study Abroad for Underrepresented Minority and First-Gen Public Health Students

For public health students, global education supports development of core skills towards becoming effective leaders and advocates for health equity. Despite the growing number of undergraduate students participating in experiential study abroad opportunities, there remains a stark educational disparity: racial and ethnic minority students continue to be underrepresented. Less than 20% of Hispanic/Latinx and African American students participate in study abroad (NAFSA, 2022). This situation is especially urgent given the shortage of diverse public health professionals. It is imperative for the educational pipeline to address the structural limitations that hinder access to academic opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged students. To meet the challenge, our institution created a course expressly for underrepresented minorities and first-generation public health students. This article describes the course’s intentional design, implementation, and assessment of long-term outcomes. Findings highlight the impact of this experience for minority and first-gen students as they entered graduate education and the public health workforce. All participants voiced benefits in developing relevant career skills, global citizenship, and personal growth. As public health educators, our focus on health equity must include equitable access to innovative experiences for underserved public health students as fundamental to public health pedagogy.

“What Are You Doing Here?”: Examining Minoritized Undergraduate Student Experiences in STEM at a Minority Serving Institution

Prior research has demonstrated that women and racial minority undergraduate students experience stereotype threat in unwelcoming STEM classrooms in predominantly White institutions. Drawing from focus group and journal entry data with Latinx and African American undergraduate students (N = 52) majoring in a STEM field at an institution that holds both Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and AANAPISI designations in Southern California, we find that Latinx and Black undergraduate students narrate exclusion from faculty and peers in four main ways: (1) exclusionary STEM classroom culture fomented by faculty, (2) study group stereotype threat, (3) nuances in Black student undergraduate experiences, and (4) unaddressed gendered discrimination. We find that Latinx and African American undergraduates enrolled at a minority serving institution highlight that STEM faculty foment stereotype threat in their classroom culture, which trickles down to students and negatively impacts their ability to develop the necessary social capital networks with both faculty and peers to succeed.

Exploring the Relationship Between Faculty Mentor Engagement and African American STEM Persistence

This quantitative study explores factors associated with the persistence rates of African American students aspiring to major in STEM subjects and who ultimately complete undergraduate STEM degrees. The primary data source for this study is the Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s 2009 The Freshman Survey (TFS) and the 2013 College Senior Survey (CSS). The sample included 379 African American students who indicated on TFS that they intended to declare STEM as their major. The findings reveal that African American undergraduates are significantly more likely to persist in STEM majors with increased levels of faculty mentor engagement. The findings demonstrate the need for institutions to implement curricula that encourage meaningful faculty engagement to contribute to the creation of more inclusive academic environments for African American students in STEM.

Seeger Lecture, Society for Ethnomusicology Virtual Meeting 2021

Seeger Lecture, Society for Ethnomusicology Virtual Meeting 2021

Lessons Learned: Results of a Survey Study Exploring the Experiences of Black / African-American Students in Occupational Therapy Education

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 A survey study was conducted to identify supports and barriers in the academic environment among Black students in entry-level OT and OTA programs. The results of this survey can provide suggestions to foster diverse and inclusive learning spaces. Primary Author and Speaker: Riqiea Kitchens Contributing Authors: Amber B. Armstead, Lima Ghulmi, Karthik Mani, Diane Collins

Black Men’s Experiences at Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) : A 30-Year Interpretative Meta-Synthesis

Several studies on Black men in colleges and universities focused heavily on quantitative measurements of their enrollment, retention or attrition, and graduation rates. In contrast, limited research shed light on their qualitative experiences on college/university campuses. Of those, many found that African American male students face unique challenges at predominantly white colleges, including feelings of invisibility, microaggressions, and a dearth of Black faculty. This study takes a different angle to fill the gap by studying the Black men’s experiences at PBIs and HBCUs. Utilizing a Black Male College “Choice” Framework (BMCCF), three reoccurring themes were identified to describe the experiences of Black men at both PBIs and HBCUs: family, psychological, and institutional. Overall, the study found close similarities in the Black Men’s experiences between PBIs and HBCUs. Implications for future research are also suggested.

Racial Attitudes, Racial Preferences, and Social Interactions of African American Students as Reflected by Self-Image and Race as a Construct

Racial Attitudes, Racial Preferences, and Social Interactions of African American Students as Reflected by Self-Image and Race as a Construct

Fast Friends: A Quasi-Experimental Design Among Two Racially Diverse Student Populations

This exploratory study sought to determine if the Fast Friend intervention (Aron, Melinat, Aron, Vallone, & Bator, 1997) improves racial cognizance of cross-group dyads. Data were collected from freshmen (n=34) enrolled in a college of agriculture. The treatment and control groups included cross-group, same-sex, dyads composed of African American students and Caucasian students. In this quasi-experimental, nonequivalent comparison group, descriptive statistics revealed both the treatment and control participants failed to establish a difference between pretest/posttest and between control/treatment participants in the Implicit Theory of Intelligence Scale, Color Blind Racial Attitude Scale, and Communal Orientation Scale. However, results did indicate significance in the Collective Self-Esteem Scale among treatment group participants and control group participants over time. At the end of the study, a significant difference existed as treatment participants were more adaptive while the control was more maladaptive. Results indicate that engaged conversations among interracial groups over a short period of time does not have a large impact on cognizance, but makes substantial differences among perception of whom they feel comfortable talking to. Further research should be conducted to establish interventions that measure racial cognizance through longitudinal studies, cross-institutional studies, and an increased quantity of participants.