AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

Abstract African American male student athletes enrolled in community colleges have not been adequately investigated in the empirical literature for factors related to academic experiences, success, and departure. This research study extends the literature on African American male student athletes by examines factors that influence academic success. Specifically, this study explores factors that shape the educational experiences and outcomes of African-American male student athletes from a community college in an institutional environment setting where African American male student athletes constitute a significant population. In this study, I evaluate the following research questions: What are the experiences of African American male student athletes in a large urban public community college? What factors influence educational outcomes, including persistence and completion, for the African American male student athletes in a large urban public community college? The data source for the study is African American male student athletes who attend a California community college in Southern California. The data collection procedure consisted of interviews with African American male student athletes. Data analysis consisted of the following steps: transcription of interviews from the digital audio recordings, code transcript interviews and the identification of patterns in coded data for thematic analysis. Results indicated that for a majority of the African American male students, whom I interviewed, specialized academic and cultural programs, family and mentor support, and a desire to improve the lives of their family members were the principal reasons for persisting. By contrast, results that emerged from interviews with staff members showed a concern about factors that affect African American male student retention, the lack of social integration skills, and existing cultural barriers, all of which negatively affected the persistence of African American athletes at the community college. Advisors/Committee Members: Durdella, Nathan R (advisor), De La Torre, William P (committee member).