Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention

African American Student Persistence at a Predominantly White Institution

Brian Bourke

Nathaniel Bray

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v20i1.2821

Keywords: African American, persistence, PWI, prejudice, social, cultural, campus climate, retention

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Abstract

Persistence in college among African American students continues to remain low compared to persistence among White students. Often, the focus in examining this issue has been on institution-wide retention efforts, which can ignore socio-cultural elements that can influence the decisions of individual students to persist at an institution; however, persistence may rely on a combination of institutional factors and socio-cultural elements. The purpose of this article is to present findings from a research project that highlight institutional factors and socio-cultural elements that influence the persistence of African American students at a predominantly White institution. The findings from focus groups with African American students suggest that they persist despite a “cold” campus climate and ongoing experiences with racism and prejudice at Southern State University [pseudonym].