FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES AT PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

African American males have reported a lack of sense of belonging when attending a predominantly White institution (PWI). A lack of sense of belonging directly impacts African American males' retention and graduation rates. A convergent mixed methods design was utilized to determine the factors that influence African American males' sense of belonging at a PWI in North Carolina. Hagerty and Patusky's Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI) was used to determine African American males' overall sense of belonging. Interviews were administered to gain further insight on the factors that influence sense of belonging. Results indicated that African American males' sense of belonging is impacted by feeling out of place, which is a negative impact. Positive impacts on African American males' sense of belonging are having a good freshman seminar instructor and being engaged on campus. Opportunities for a more inclusive campus community include: reducing stereotyping and microaggressions, having positive experiences with faculty and staff, and having more student engagement opportunities for African American males to connect with the campus community.