Date of Award

1-1-2010

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Leadership and Policies

Sub-Department

Educational Administration

First Advisor

Michelle Maher

Abstract

As the body of research on the experiences of African American males in higher education continues to grow, additional research is needed on the impact of two-year college attendance on African American male students (Flowers, 2006). Since the two-year college system is the "primary portal" to higher education for a number of African American males (Pope, 2006, p. 229), of particular importance are the ways African American male students are able to navigate the two-year college landscape successfully. The link between student engagement and collegiate success is considered extensive (Nelson Laird, Bridges, Morelon-Quainoo, Williams, & Holmes, 2007). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship among (1) student characteristics and academic performance, (2) student characteristics and student engagement, and (3) student engagement and academic performance of African American males in the two-year college sector.

This study consisted of a quantitative analysis of student-level data from a sample of African American males in South Carolina. These secondary data were obtained from the 2007 administration of the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). A number of student characteristics were associated with academic performance (G.P.A.) as well as specific engagement variables (CCSSE benchmarks). Of the five student engagement variables explored, Student Effort, Academic Challenge, Student-Faculty Interaction, and Support for Learners were positively correlated with academic performance at a statistically significant level.

Rights

© 2010, Valarie Redman Mingo

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