Institutionalizing Success: Practices and Policies at HBCUs that Promote Student Development and Degree Attainment

ABSTRACT A central purpose of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is to educate Black students, often in conditions where resources, financial and otherwise, are limited. This study explores how institutional policies and practices foster success among Black students attending HBCUs within these conditions. Using an HBCU-based model for Black College Student Success, we examine the perceptions of institutional actions that promote success among 20 HBCU alumni. Through constructivist qualitative inquiry, we found evidence for each component of the model in the practices of institutional actors of the 12 institutions studied. We also found evidence of additional domains where practices at HBCUs promoted student success.

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