The educational statistics continue to report dismal persistence and completion rates for male African American community college students. Many scholars have noted the fact that African American males remain further behind all other demographics in college enrollment and completion. In this study, I sought to advance the literature on student engagement and academic success by exploring these students' perceptions of their college-going experience. The purpose of the study was to better understand African American male community college students' perceptions of their academic and social experiences at one midwestern community college. The theoretical framework for this study was achieved by combining essential components of Involvement and Engagement Theory, Academic and Social Integration Theory, and Encouragement, Family, and Racial Centrality Models. This study used semi-structured in-depth interviews with 27 African American males. Eight significant themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) Campus Environment: faculty, staff, classes, and support, (b) Persistence and graduation, (c) Academic challenges, (d) Academic successes, (e) Personal challenges, (f) Personal successes, (g) Inspiration: personal, family, and colleagues, and (h) Mentors -- on and off campus. This qualitative research study offered narratives from the African American males which described factors they believed impacted their ability and desire to persist at community college. The study findings provided insight into factors students believed guided and supported their academic and student engagement, including the campus environment; faculty, staff, and classes, people, and resources. In this study, I sought to provide more understanding of what students believed would help them connect and commit in order to persist and achieve credential completion. The findings served as the basis for recommendations to community college administrators and policy makers and suggestions for future research.

Background: African American males' experience in higher education is often categorized with negative terminology that does not reflect notions of success. Most research addressing the success of African American males in higher education illuminates factors that impede access to success and is often situated in university settings. Very little research is dedicated to examining the experiences of African American males in community colleges and even less research is published on their perceptions of success Purpose: To examine and understand the concept of success from the perspective of African American males enrolled in community college and identify how institutional and non-institutional factors affect their concept of success. Setting: Interviews were conducted at community colleges in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Subjects: Seven African American males enrolled in at least 6 credits at a community college in were interviewed. Research Design: Qualitative interviews using a semi-structured question matrix; the question matrix was designed to elicit responses related to defining a personal concept of success. Data Collection and Analysis: Face- to- face interviews were conducted on college campuses. Audio recordings were collected, transcribed, and then coded using computer- assisted qualitative data analysis software. Coded excerpts were grouped into prominent themes. Findings: Six primary themes were identified from the interview data. • Almost all participants stated that academic success had nothing to do with academic performance. Academic success was situated in overcoming challenges in an academic environment. • Success in general is more important than academic success. • The concept of success changes based on life experiences. • Feeling isolated, positive and negative interactions with faculty and peers contributed to the concept of success. • Negative imagery, stereotypes, financial status, and family support contribute to how African American males perceive themselves as successful. • Overcoming daily challenges based on race is indicative to how African American males equate success. Conclusions: While persistence and completion are important, academic success as defined by African American males in community college does not pertain to academic performance. Deeply rooted issues of race and racism influence a general definition of success. Concepts of success change overtime as significant life events occur and as more encounters with racism are realized. Overcoming challenges that affect the intersections of race, class and gender are more accurate descriptions of success. African American males in community college are very aware of how fragile their lives are as targets of racial profiling. Avoiding situations where others may not feel safe in their presence and continuously compensating for racial barriers that must be overcome in order to succeed is burden that is carried daily. For African American males, the only concept of success that matters is surviving the daily challenges of being an African American male for example, not losing their life at the hands of police officers.

African American males at community colleges are facing greater challenges regarding persistence in today’s higher education environment. Several studies address institutional retention efforts of African Americans at 4-year institutions; however, a significant gap exists of research concerning African American male students' persistence efforts within the community colleges setting. This study assist policy makers, higher education administrators, institutional researchers, and program directors in regards to best practices of programs that promote student persistence at the community college level. Guided by C. Robert Pace’s “Quality of Student Effort” theory, this study was conducted to examine the differences among traditional and non-traditional African American male students’ perceptions of the community college environment, their quality of effort, gains, and inclination to persist. Several statistical procedures were conducted to analyze a national data aggregate of the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ) acquired from the Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) at the University of Memphis. A secondary data analysis was conducted among 1,948 student respondents from 8 community colleges that responded to the electronic version of the questionnaire during the academic years 2010-2013. To address the five research questions presented within this study, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to conduct multiple analyses that addressed four groups of dependent variables (perceptions of the college environment, student quality of effort, students’ perceived estimate of gains, and an index of students’ inclination to persist). The independent variables were traditional and non-traditional African American male community college students. Results indicate that significant differences exist in the responses of the community college sample. Amongst the four groups of dependent variables, the most notable difference is the affinity of traditional aged students’ and their perceptions of the college environment. Differences among traditionally aged and non-traditional African American male community college students were also observed regarding students’ perceived quality of effort, their estimates of gains and their inclination to persist at the community college level.

This case study provides an in depth view of the experiences of African American male students within the California Community College (CCC) system at one Northern California site. Each young man interviewed is or was an active participant in an on campus support program specifically for African American males. The participants' experiences as African American male students enrolled in a California community college, lead to a greater understanding of African American males in the California Community College system, as a demographic. Findings suggest the importance of appreciating the stories and lived experiences of the subjects prior to joining the on campus group for later success at the Community College level. Findings suggest that this all-male, student support group created a means of increasing student persistence, retention and transfer rates. Moreover, findings show how African American male students' academic engagement, self-perception and interpersonal relations are positively impacted by their participation in the group. Thus, the practices of this all-male support group should be replicated across the California Community Colleges. The all-male support group is demonstrative of an effective means that the California Community Colleges could employ to increase the persistence, retention, completion and transfer rates of their male students, in general and for African American students specifically. Further, the findings suggest the utility of the all-male support group on campus as positively affecting the educational and personal circumstance outcomes of African American male students. Future research could be employed to better uncover the positive components that undergird the effectiveness of the all-male support group on campus for African American male students. In summary, the participants appear to have greater perceived engagement with the Community College experience through the all male support group.

This volume dedicated to the engagement of African American males in community colleges furthers the research agenda focused on improving the educational outcomes of African American males. The theme engagement also supports the anti-deficit approach to research on African American males developed by renowned research scholars. The true success of African American males in community colleges rests on how well these institutions engage young men into their institutions. This will require community colleges to examine policies, pedagogical strategies, and institutional practices that alienate African American males and fosters a culture of underachievement. The authors who have contributed to this volume all speak from the same script which proves than when African American males are properly engaged in an education that is culturally relevant, they will succeed. Therefore, this book will benefit ALL who support the education of African American males. It is our intent that this book will contribute to the growing body of knowledge that exists in this area as well as foster more inquiry into the achievement of African American males. The book offers three approaches to understanding the engagement of African American males in community college, which includes empirical research, policy perspectives and programmatic initiatives.

This study sought to understand the perceptions of African American male students who are enrolled in developmental education programs. The researcher gathered information by interviewing students at 2 Mississippi community colleges and by reviewing information collected from the student’s demographic profile. This qualitative research allowed the researcher to learn directly from students, factors that contribute to African American male students developing a negative perception of developmental education programs. Participants were 20 African American male students enrolled in developmental education program in 2 Mississippi community colleges. Data collection occurred during the spring and fall 2016 semester. Each participant was asked 12 questions to determine his perspectives of developmental education programs and factors contributing to the student’s academic success. Moreover, the study provided solutions that can help dispel the negative perceptions of African American male students and suggested strategies for academic achievement. The factors included the following: support of community college leaders, supportive instructors, and peer support group. Data suggested that to support the academic success of African American male students, an understanding of their culture can benefit their advancement in the community college. The participants believe that if instructors would not give into the negative stereotypes and increase their willingness to go the extra mile to insure that African American male students become successful, the negative perception of developmental education program will change. Participants conveyed the need to feel cared for, understood, and supported by instructors and community college leaders. The findings from this study can assist community college leaders and instructors to develop educational interventions that will support African American male students. This research study is an attempt to provide information that will improve academic success of African American males enrolled in developmental educational programs in the community colleges.