Historically Black College/University Research Articles

The “People’s Tour” as Conflict Pedagogy: Using Site Visits to Engage Students with the Struggle for Civil Rights

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has a rich history of Civil Rights struggles and its people continue to resist racial oppression in systems of housing, labor, education, policing, transportation, and others. Dating to 1892, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), a historically Black college/university (HBCU), has attracted students who have become organizers and activists in the fight for social justice in the local community. These include Theodosia Simpson, a leader of the radical Black women-led tobacco workers union; Carl Matthews, who started the first victorious lunch counter sit-in in North Carolina; and Dr. Larry Little, who co-founded the first official Black Panther Party chapter in the South. In that tradition, I have developed a “People’s History Tour of Winston-Salem” that takes current WSSU students outside the classroom to learn about the Civil Rights struggle at a variety of important sites. This critical pedagogy has students apply key sociological concepts that bolster their understanding of racial stratification and efforts to eradicate it. The goals of this assignment are for students to explore classroom curriculum about White supremacy, racial capitalism, and social movements at relevant historical and contemporary sites in Winston-Salem. By doing so, I aim for students to have transformative experiences that tie their readings and classroom discussions to the community spaces where that material comes alive.

FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO INCREASE ALZHEIMER’S CLINICAL RESEARCH PARTICIPATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY

Abstract Issues: Despite the fact that African Americans are twice more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared to non-Hispanic whites, they are under-represented in AD clinical research. Lower representation exists in the AHEAD Study as well, which is an AD prevention clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Lecanemab in 1400 study participants. We sought to raise awareness about AD and increase clinical research participation of African Americans in the AHEAD Study, through a community-based education and recruitment program (CERP). Description: Our diverse team from Eastern Virginia Medical School and Hampton University, a Historically Black College University (HBCU), established a Community Advisory Board and Ministerial Alliance with representation from faith-based, long-standing civic and fraternal organizations within the Greater Hampton Roads Black community. The alliance guided us to identify prioritization areas for addressing sociocultural barriers and increasing clinical research awareness and participation in traditional African American events, key historic community sites, and non-traditional community centers (i.e., YMCA, independent-living, assisted-living centers, Annual Juneteenth Celebration, Black fraternity, and sorority events.) Community health workers, embedded within the community, of the same cultural background and ethnicity, drove our CERP. Lessons Learned: As of July 2023, we offered our program at 45 community events, including community health fairs, civics events, and Purple Sunday luncheons and talks at Black churches in urban and localities in Hampton Roads, in partnership with fraternal and civic community organizations. Out of over 1700 participants, 177 community members have been prescreened for the AHEAD Study.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol Use among Black College Students: Examining the Mediating Roles of Depression and Coping Drinking Motives

Background: Over the past two decades, research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to adult health-risk behaviors such as excessive alcohol use. Yet, few have investigated health-risk behaviors among Black college students. Research suggests that Black college students are at lower risk for hazardous drinking patterns, yet ACEs appear to alter the drinking patterns of Black students. Other studies have also shown depressive symptoms and coping-motivated drinking to predict greater alcohol consumption for this ethnic group. Objective: The current study investigated the relationship between ACEs and hazardous patterns of drinking, including frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, using a sample of 282 Black students attending a historically black college/university (HBCU). Results: Depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives were tested as serial mediators between ACEs and the three drinking patterns. Results revealed a significant indirect effect of ACEs on the frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, through depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives. Depressive symptoms also independently mediated the relationship between ACEs and heavy drinking episodes. Conclusion: The finding suggested that drinking perhaps serves as a maladaptive coping strategy to address underlying early life stress and depression for Black students.

A Case Study of Enhancing the Data Science Capacity of an RCMI Program at a Historically Black Medical College.

As data grows exponentially across diverse fields, the ability to effectively leverage big data has become increasingly crucial. In the field of data science, however, minority groups, including African Americans, are significantly underrepresented. With the strategic role of minority-serving institutions to enhance diversity in the data science workforce and apply data science to health disparities, the National Institute for Minority Health Disparities (NIMHD) provided funding in September 2021 to six Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) to improve their data science capacity and foster collaborations with data scientists. Meharry Medical College (MMC), a historically Black College/University (HBCU), was among the six awardees. This paper summarizes the NIMHD-funded efforts at MMC, which include offering mini-grants to collaborative research groups, surveys to understand the needs of the community to guide project implementation, and data science training to enhance the data analytics skills of the RCMI investigators, staff, medical residents, and graduate students. This study is innovative as it addressed the urgent need to enhance the data science capacity of the RCMI program at MMC, build a diverse data science workforce, and develop collaborations between the RCMI and MMC's newly established School of Applied Computational Science. This paper presents the progress of this NIMHD-funded project, which clearly shows its positive impact on the local community.

Considering Both HBCU and PWI Options: Exploring the College Choice Process of First-Year Black Students

ABSTRACT The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the motivational factors behind Black students’ decisions to attend either a historically Black college/university (HBCU) or a predominantly white institution (PWI) when applying to both institutional systems. The study sample included 24 total participants: 12 first-year students from an HBCU and 12 first-year students from a PWI. The primary mode of data collection was one-on-one semi-structured interviews with each participant lasting for approximately one hour. We found in the college choice process, Black students: (a) Discussed College Options with Family and School/Community Members; (b) Learned about HBCUs and PWIs through Tours, Admissions Staff, and Media, (c) Considered Family, Strategy, and Academics in Their Decision to Apply to Both; and (d) Based Final Decision on Affordability, Campus Culture, and Location. Our findings have the potential to inform how practitioners along the educational pipeline can better support Black students’ college choice process.

E-Learning Fatigue and the Cognitive, Educational, and Emotional Impacts on Communication Sciences and Disorders Students During COVID-19

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate e-learning fatigue; the cognitive, educational, and emotional impacts on university students; and attitudes toward different course delivery modes after more than a year of COVID-19–mandated distance education in the United States. Method: A survey consisting of 25 Likert items was conducted with a total of 50 graduate and undergraduate students, mostly women between the ages of 18 and 45 years, majoring in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Results: Younger, undergraduate, and Black/African American students reported being most unfavorably impacted by the e-learning requirements of COVID-19. Students without a prior history of online and hybrid learning also reported unfavorable effects, but not as consistently. Participants reporting higher levels of e-learning fatigue noted the greatest difficulties across all major areas of the study: learning, mental health, and attitudes toward e-learning. Higher e-learning fatigue was correlated with a higher negative impact on perceptions of future clinical effectiveness. Conclusions: Results show e-learning fatigue and the educational and emotional challenges of mandated e-learning during COVID-19 disproportionately affected certain groups of students, and they reported unfavorable views of e-learning and future clinical ability. This is the first study to examine how CSD students were affected by required distance learning during the pandemic. Future investigations may examine the long-term effects of the pandemic on students and their clinical skills, groups most susceptible to the negative impacts of e-learning, and ways to mitigate these effects to improve students' educational experiences and emotional well-being.

Will I See Faces Like Mine?: Exploring Perceived Constraints to Outdoor Recreation Experiences at an HBCU

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceived constraints of structured outdoor recreation experiences for students attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Data were collected from four focus group sessions. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data and from an analysis of data, four themes emerged: 1. Family impact, 2. Companionship, 3. Social media and technology, and 4. HBCU and Black American cultures. This study confirmed the importance of social companionship and the need for relevant marketing strategies as motivators for Black student participation in outdoor recreation activities at this HBCU. A common thread among the groups, was the perception of Whiteness in outdoor spaces and its negative impact on outdoor recreation involvement.

A systematic mental health assessment of first-year students at a historically Black college.

A systematic diagnostic mental health assessment was conducted with first-year students at Paul Quinn College, a small historically Black college/university (HBCU) in Dallas, Texas. A sample of 128 students was assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for DSM-5 and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Nearly one-third of students were diagnosed with a current psychiatric disorder, most commonly substance use disorders (17%) and major depressive disorder (9%). Despite these findings, few students had ever received psychiatric treatment, and considering their substantial trauma histories, few developed posttraumatic stress disorder, reflecting protective factors in the HBCU. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this HBCU study is consistent with findings of studies conducted at predominately White institutions. However, the relatively low access to treatment of these HBCU students suggests relevant mental health care disparities in this population. Further research is needed to develop interventions designed to help connect HBCU students to mental health care.

Experiences of Sexism and Racism Among Black Women Who Hold a Doctorate

This heuristic inquiry illuminates experiences of racism and sexism among Black women with doctorates at one predominantly White institution (PWI) and one historically Black college/university (HBCU). A concise literature review is provided, followed by a summary of the processes and phases of heuristic inquiry. The researchers generated new knowledge regarding the use of the honorific “Dr” among members of the target population. The team conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with 12 Black women with doctorates at one PWI and one HBCU. In addition to racism and sexism, ageism also emerged as a central theme from the analysis.

Shattering Glass Ceilings: Three Black Women Surgeons Ascend to Chairs of Departments of Surgery.

Shattering Glass Ceilings: Three Black Women Surgeons Ascend to Chairs of Departments of Surgery.

Mental health of HBCU college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: This study investigated rates and predictors of mental health issues (e.g., depression and anxiety) in a sample of college students currently attending a historically Black college/university (HBCU) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants/Methods: 98 undergraduate students (81 female and 17 male) completed an online survey containing questions about demographics, socioeconomic status (SES), academic characteristics, and pandemic-related concerns. The survey also included PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires to evaluate depression and anxiety, respectively. Results: 49% of the students met the clinical cutoff for depression, 39% for anxiety, and 52% for depression and/or anxiety. Significant predictors of meeting the cutoffs included parental job loss/hour reduction, being a senior, and feeling that the pandemic negatively impacted daily life, among other factors. Demographic variables (age, gender, etc.) had no effect. Conclusion: HBCU students show high rates of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be predicted based on the student’s academic, socioeconomic, and pandemic-related concerns.

‘It doesn’t bother me...I’m here for a reason’: a qualitative examination of white college athletes’ experiences at a historically black college/university (HBCU)

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the academic, athletic, and social experiences of White college athletes at a Division I historically Black college/university (HBCU). Previous research has documented how White college athletes experience positive educational and developmental outcomes at historically White institutions (HWIs). However, there is a dearth of research on White college athletes’ experiences where they are the demographic minority within collegiate institutions like HBCUs. Three focus groups and four individual interviews were conducted and the data from four White college athletes at a HBCU were examined for the current study. Using symbolic interactionism and interpretive interactionism as theoretical lenses, key findings revealed participants largely expressed satisfaction with their academic, athletic, and social experiences. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Predictors of Sexual Decision-Making and Behavior among HBCU Students: Implications for STI/HIV Prevention and Intervention

Due to their enhanced risk for STIs, including HIV, the need for research to target young Black college students is substantial and there is a significant contribution to be made in understanding factors related to risk in an effort to design prevention interventions are specific to this group. The study included 351 Black students (M=20.42, SD=1.71, range 18–24 years) attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Results reveal alcohol use and condom attitudes were the most significant predictors of sexual decision-making and behavior. The findings, along with implications, signal the need for more research with this population in order to increase prevention efforts.

Black College Women’s Interpersonal Communication in Response to a Sexual Health Intervention: A Mixed Methods Study

ABSTRACT We investigated interpersonal communication generated from a successful sexual health intervention for Black college women attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Guided by the integrative model of behavioral prediction and the theory of gender and power, the intervention combined point-of-access health messages with condom distribution via condom dispensers. Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined communication partners, content, mode, valence, and perceived impact. Data were gathered from surveys (N = 105) and interviews (n = 10) with young adult women at an HBCU campus, conducted three months after the intervention. The findings revealed that 43% of women engaged in interpersonal communication and 21% engaged in online interactions about the dispensers. Friends were the most common conversation partners, and the conversations were mainly about condoms and the dispensers themselves. In general, the discussions were positive, showing support for the dispensers. Regression analyses revealed positive, significant associations between interpersonal communication and two key outcomes: condom acceptability and condom intentions. Overall, this study adds to research linking health communication interventions to interpersonal communication and subsequent attitudes and beliefs. Health communication interventions should actively encourage young Black women to share health-promoting information within their social networks to extend both the reach and impact of those interventions.

Fostering Effective Connections Between Academic and Student Affairs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: From “Career Pathways” to Collaborative Partnerships

AbstractThis chapter presents a new model for fostering effective, collaborative partnerships between academic and student affairs at Minority‐Serving Institutions, using an illustrative case study from a historically Black college/university (HBCU) located in Tennessee. After laying the context for collaborations in higher education, the author presents core concepts that may represent an integrated model of collaborative partnerships and describes how it applies to the United Negro College Fund‐funded Career Pathway Initiative at an HBCU.

The Earnings and Income Mobility Consequences of Attending a Historically Black College/University: Matching Estimates From 2015 U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Data

This article considers the labor market consequences of attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). With 2015 U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Data, we use a matching estimator to identify and estimate the treatment effect of HBCU attendance on median earnings, earnings relative to a high school graduate, and income relative to that of the household at the time of initial enrollment, 6 and 10 years after attendance. Our treatment effect parameter estimates suggest that once we account for the differential return to college majors, the urban wage premium, and the proportionality/dependence of the labor market return of Black student college attendees on the share of a college/university’s student population that is Black, there is a long-run earnings premium associated with HBCU attendance. In addition, for HBCUs in general, we find that there is a population of students who would realize a positive labor market premium—as high as approximately 42%—and earn more than a high school graduate if they were to attend an HBCU. With respect to intergenerational income mobility, we find that HBCU attendance enables their actual and potential attendees to move to a higher quantile of income relative to their households in the long run.

The Implications of Food Insecurity at a HBCU (P04-086-19)

ObjectivesThe objectives of the study were: 1) to determine whether there is food insecurity among matriculating students attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU), 2) to investigate the associations between food security status and the demographic characteristics (gender, classification, housing status) of students, 3) to examine the relationship of food security status to the consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV), 4) to investigate the association of student food security status with overweight/obesity, and 5) to assess fast food consumption among food insecure students. MethodsFive hundred Seventy undergrad and graduate students were recruited to participate in an online survey. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. Data were collected via a 20-item survey using Qualtrics, an online software program that allows its users to create and distribute survey instruments. The main survey questions were derived the Six-item United States Department of Agriculture-Adult Food Security Survey Module (USDA-AFSSM). The survey also included questions which measured: height and weight, daily fruit and vegetable consumption, fast food purchases and potential food pantry utilization. The remaining questions in the survey determined demographic characteristics which included gender, class, meal plan, and housing status. ResultsData indicated 77.7% (405) of the sample had experienced some level of food insecurity over the last 12 months, whereas 116 (22.2%) were determined to be food secure. The prevalence of the four categories of food security status is shown in Figure 1.Food insecure students were significantly more likely to purchase fast foods two or more times a week and had significantly lower mean fruit and vegetable intakes than food secure students.Sophomores were least likely to be food secure (11.1%), while graduate/professional students were most likely to be food secure (37.6%). Students living on campus were found to be more likely to be food insecure. ConclusionsThe present study provides evidence of significant food insecurity. More fast food and decreased fruit and vegetable consumption was found among the food insecure vs food secure. Food security on college campuses bears further investigation. Funding SourcesHoward University. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪

Mutual vulnerability and intergenerational healing: Black women HBCU students writing memoir

ABSTRACTThis qualitative phenomenological study was designed to gain insight into the unique experiences of six Black women students who were writing creative non-fiction toward the goal of self-definition in a Black feminist learning environment at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Interviews were triangulated against participants’ personal writing, revealing obstacles of racism, sexism, internalized oppressions, and an initial difficulty with sharing personal experiences. Participants wrote about overcoming these obstacles through survival and success strategies like practicing mutual vulnerability with their classmates and teacher, and practicing healing transformation through intergenerational healing (re-gifting their new awareness to the next generation). Findings revealed underexplored reciprocities in Black feminist pedagogical delivery and engagement, which may advance culturally specific expressive writing and research methods, and offer culturally specific methods to advance the healing of multigenerational traumas that impact Black women students.

Validating and Adapting the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for STEM Courses at an HBCU

This study investigated the validity and reliability of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for minority students enrolled in STEM courses at a historically black college/university (HBCU). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the third-order factor structure and to respecify the model. An adequate fit to the study sample data was achieved for the respecified MSLQ (MSLQ-R), and measurement invariance was verified on four groups within the HBCU sample. The highest correlates with EOC grade on the MSLQ-R were self-efficacy, task value, effort regulation, and time and study environment. Metacognitive self-regulation and strategy use variables were found to not correlate with EOC grade. A useful capability to discriminate on the basis of academic performance was exhibited by the MSLQ-R.

College student food insecurity and its relationship to fruit and vegetable intake and overweight/obesity at a HBCU

Background: Food insecurity has been a very prominent, but understudied topic among U.S. colleges. African-American college students have been shown to be the group most impacted by food insecurity. There has been some evidence of association between food insecurity and low fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as with increased fast food consumption and overweight/obesity. Methods: A convenience sample of 10,300 students attending a historically black college /university (HBCU) were invited to complete an online survey with questions that measured food security using the United States Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module (USDA-AFSSM), body mass index (BMI), the frequency of fruit and vegetable intake, and fast food purchases. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the relationships between the variables and the food security status of the participants at 5% significant. Results: The students who experienced some level of food insecurity were found to have lower consumption of fruits and vegetables and on a weekly basis were more likely to purchase fast food meals compared to food secure students. There was no significant difference in the BMIs of food secure vs food insecure student. Conclusion/ recommendations: The present study showed that food insecure students were significantly more likely to purchase fast foods compared with food secure students. Further research is needed to attain a more comprehensive understanding of the depth of prevalence of food insecurity among students attending HBCUs and its effect on food choices and obesity risk.