JOHNSON CITY – Research has shown a shortfall in the rate of Black and Hispanic males attending higher education institutions, and a team from East Tennessee State University’s Clemmer College is asking why.
“Often research studies in education look at test grades and GPA as indicators of success for Black and Hispanic males and do not consider other aspects like mentorship and engagement,” said Dr. Jill Channing, an assistant professor and associate director of ETSU’s Center for Community College Leadership, who was the lead investigator on the study. “We often see a gap between white middle-class students’ and traditionally underrepresented and marginalized students’ persistence, completion and achievement in higher education.”
A team from the Center for Community College Leadership recently completed a yearlong study concerning this gap and ways to address it. The group worked with several community colleges, analyzed a wealth of data about student academic success and held focus groups.
The team included Channing and professors Dr. Jean Swindle and Dr. James Lampley from Clemmer and graduate students and research assistants Oluwatomilayo Adeniji and Francis Okeke. Dr. Mildred Perreault, an assistant professor in the Department of Media and Communication, was also on the team.
The study proposed two interventions: learning communities and mentoring. Researchers also made several recommendations for practice, including the provision of role models and mentors and diverse faculty.
“The study also found that while many students expressed motivations to achieve and move on to four-year programs, many faced outside pressures and challenges out of their personal control,” Channing added.