African American Males\u27 Perceptions on Increasing Retention and Graduation Rates

African American males have the lowest retention and graduation rates of all races and genders. The problem at the local study site was that lower number of African American males from two public 4-year institutions were graduating from college as compared to all other ethnic groups and genders. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify college experiences that had a positive impact on retention and graduation, as perceived by African American males. Tinto\u27s persistence theory, describing the development of student identity and student retention in higher education, guided the study. The research questions explored African American male students\u27 perceptions about campus experiences that had the most impact on their remaining in school and being successful and the differences in the campus experiences at historically Black colleges and universities versus predominantly White institutions. Using a purposeful sample, data were collected from focus group interviews with a total of 30 African American male students enrolled full-time at a predominantly White institution (n=/) and a historically Black college and university (n=?). Data were organized and analyzed to identify codes and themes. Findings indicated that both focus groups encountered challenges on campus, including (a) acceptance and affordability, (b) supportive faculty, (c) employment of more African American faculty, (d) inclusion, and (e) mentorship. The project that developed from the findings included a position paper supporting the findings and recommendations based on the emergent themes. Implications for social change include strategies to improve retention and graduation rates as well as ways to positively impact African American male students\u27 overall campus experience