TITLE Experiences of African-American Baccalaureate Nursing Students Examined through the Lenses of Tinto's Student Retention Theory and Astin's Student Involvement Theory. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

African-American nurses ' perceptions of their baccalaureate nursing school experiences were examined in relation to Vincent Tinto's (1987) theory of student retention and Astin's theory of student involvement. In-depth interviews were conducted with four graduates of a predominantly black southeastern university and four graduates of a predominantly white southeastern university. Individual commitment to degree completion was a major factor in persistence. Respondents generally perceived the black campus as comfortable, warm, and nurturing, while they tended to perceive the white campus as cold and uncaring. Satisfaction with the academic experience was related to a combination of factors, including self-esteem, relationships with other students, and pride in the university. Positive role modes were important for respondents for personal and professional guidance and increased self-esteem. All of the participants worked off-campus at some time during college, which supports Astin's proposal that working off-campus, a