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Christopher Scott Thesis Final.pdf (914.93 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

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The Social Factors that Support Urban African American Male's Persistence in College

Scott, Christopher Carlos
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1504860623520304

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Education, University of Toledo, Educational Theory and Social Foundations.
African American male students from urban communities hold a poor retention rate in college in comparison to other ethnicities. According to Harper (2006), “[M]ore than 67.7 percent of black men who start college do not graduate within six years (Harper, 2016). In rare cases, African American male students from urban areas persist through their freshman year excelling in course work putting them on track to finish their degrees. In 2004, 10. 4 percent of male undergraduates in college were black (Harper, 2006). This study explores the “persistence,” referring to the will power students need to stay on course in spite of difficulty and opposition. Additionally, this work speaks of “retention,” referring to a student’s continuance in college until receiving their pursued degree. This research is based on the assumption that there is clearly an equity issue if one group of students are not persevering in college and carrying out course work to reach the ultimate goal, graduation. Using a case study approach of one African American male college student, this investigation identified the underlying social factors that supported the student’s persistence in college during his freshman year at a predominantly white institution, or PWI, in the Midwest. The study revealed the supporting social factors of this student prior to enrolling in college, the factors contributing to his retention while in college. Data was collected through participant observation, informal interviews, as well as formal interviews. This study provides a better understanding of the social relationships necessary to support the persistence of the urban African American male college student. This exploration is significant to college administration personnel due to its potential to act as a guide for replicating similar social support systems for current and perspective African American male students within their institutions.
Mary Ellen Edwards (Committee Chair)
Lynne Hamer , (Committee Co-Chair)
Willie McKether (Committee Co-Chair)
78 p.
African Americans
African American; Persistence; Retention; Social Support; Mentoring

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Scott, C. C. (2016). The Social Factors that Support Urban African American Male's Persistence in College [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1504860623520304

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Scott, Christopher . The Social Factors that Support Urban African American Male's Persistence in College . 2016. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1504860623520304.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Scott, Christopher . "The Social Factors that Support Urban African American Male's Persistence in College ." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1504860623520304

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1504860623520304
183
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.