THE IMPACT OF AN ACADEMIC RETENTION PROGRAM AT A REGIONAL UNIVERSITY: A PARTIAL PROGRAM REVIEW OF THE EMERGING SCHOLARS INSTITUTE

Through a partial program review, this study examined the impact that participation in the Emerging Scholars Institute (ESI) had on the academic success of African-American participants versus African-American non-participants. This study also observed African-American participants’ perception of ESI participation on their overarching collegiate experience. To complete the partial review, this quantitative study used archival data controlled to a 3-year period. Data comprised comparison of cumulative GPA, ACT composite scores, and comparison of cumulative GPA by gender, classification, and major of study between ESI and non-ESI participants. Questions from the ESI survey were also used. Statistical analysis indicated that during the 3-year period under review, significant differences existed between the academic success of ESI versus non-ESI participants. Analyses also bared a statistically significant moderate to robust correlation between participation in ESI and participants’ satisfaction with their college experience, and the degree to which ESI influenced participants’ perception of the college experience in a constructive way was statistically significant