Student Retention: A Description of First-Generation Minority Male Students' Interaction with Faculty

摘要

Challenges in retaining minority male students is an on-going issue in higher education in America. In addition, research suggests that the challenge is greater at Predominantly White Institutions. For many years, institutions have adopted principles and strategies suggested by researchers to counterattack this concern. Although a vast wealth of research exists, the problem still remains. One of the core components of understanding college persistence is by capturing and analyzing the experiences of the students and those who have a direct connection to them---faculty. This basic qualitative study described the experiences of 14 first-generation, freshman, minority (African American, Hispanic and Asian) male students who attended a Midwestern, Predominantly White Institution. Utilizing semi-structured interviews---both in-person and by phone---minority male students described their experiences interacting with faculty and if it had an influence on their desire to persist. The participants represented diversity in social, economic, and academic backgrounds which contributed to different described experiences. The research extracted three primary themes: Education Motives, Interaction Benefits, and Racial Awareness that outlined the participants' experiences interacting with faculty and acclimating into the Predominantly White Institution's culture. The findings of the study determined that positive faculty interaction does contribute to a rewarding college experience and relationship building. However, the findings also challenge pre-existing literature on negative interaction and how it may cause students to not be retained. This study identified key components that should be considered for future research and how diversity in approach is increasing importance in retention efforts.