Impact of Engagement on the Academic Success of Black Males at a Predominantly White Institution

A number of studies, including a 2010 study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), have documented persistence gaps between the educational attainment of White males and that of Black males and Hispanic males among other racial/ethnic groups. There is also evidence of a growing gender gap within racial/ethnic groups, as females are participating and persisting at much higher rates than their male counterparts (Aud et al., 2010). This growing gender gap within racial/ethnic groups presents a unique problem for Blacks and for Black males in particular. Research shows that Black males, unlike their counterparts, are entering college at a much higher rate than they are graduating from college yet the research further shows that when they participate in higher education, and when well-conceived and formalized support systems are put into place to promote achievement, Black males persist at a higher level (Bush et al., 2010). Previous research on student persistence has indicated a number of factors, such as financial aid, socioeconomic status, lack of preparation, and lack of engagement contribute to the attrition of students in general, however, a gap remains in the current literature regarding how much of an impact these factors have on Black male students at predominantly White institutions. Therefore, the purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the impact of engagement on the academic success of Black males at a predominantly White institution as compared to their counterparts at the same institution using the institution's data from the National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE) in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Findings from this research may help to identify specific factors and their impact on the persistence of Black males and may provide further research on the persistence of Black males at predominantly White institutions.