Browsing by Author "Nash, Trevor, 1981-"

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A space to fit in : a descriptive case study examining Black male students’ collegiate experiences at a Hispanic-serving institution.
(2023-08) Nash, Trevor, 1981-; Scott, Lakia.
Black men often enter higher education spaces with two main disadvantages: being Black and Being male. As a result, their journey to earning a degree comes with several challenges, including maintaining their identity and finding that sense of belonging on many college campuses. However, the increase in diverse student bodies across multiple universities in the United States should help deliver a positive holistic academic experience. Therefore, this descriptive case study explored Black male students’ lived experiences at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). HSIs are still a relatively young group of tertiary institutions in the United States. However, they continue expanding, offering another option for Black men to pursue a college education. The study answered the following research questions: To what extent, if any, does attending an HSI impact Black male students’ identities? How do Black male students deal with belonging at an HSI? To answer these questions, 11 Black male students attending an HSI participated in this descriptive case study. Museus et al.’s (2016) Culturally Engaging Campus Environment (CECE) model of college success served as the theoretical framework for this study. Museus created the model to examine student success at racially and ethnically diverse college campuses. However, most work regarding Black male students occurs in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), thus leaving a gap in the literature on this demographic in HSI settings. This study’s findings revealed that attending an HSI does not significantly impact Black male students’ identities. The reason is closely linked to their ability to belong in this environment, as most participants indicated. Additionally, Black male students attending an HSI strived to find a space free of racial discrimination, microaggressions, and stereotype threat. They did so by joining predominantly Black student organizations where they saw a representation of themselves. Furthermore, the institution gave them a space (Black-led and other minority student organizations) to be themselves, making being in this academic space less challenging.