African American Undergraduate Students’ Experiences in Residential Learning Communities at a Predominantly White Institution by Julia Yvonne Hall Best Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION Dr. Josiah Tlou, Committee Chair Dr. Jan Nespor, Methodology Advisor Dr. Benjamin Dixon Dr. Richard Graham Dr. John Burton January 24, 2006 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Peer Interactions, Racial and Cultural Awareness, Sense of Community, Sense of Ethic and Academic Fit, Passive Racism, Academic Adjustment, Faculty and Staff Contact, A Culture of Silence, Cumulative Racism, Affective and Cognitive Development, Socio Cultural Experiences, Psychosocial Experiences, Dismantling the Term Ghetto, Study Practices, Ethnic Kinship, Academic and Emotional Support, Maximizing Educational Experiences ABSTRACT African American Undergraduate Students’ Experiences in Residential Learning Communities at a Predominantly White Institution Julia Yvonne Hall Best There is a nationwide decline in enrollment, retention and degree completion for African American students in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the United States. Colleges and universities establish diversity initiatives to address these concerns, yet educational disparities persist. Institutions of higher learning also address ways to enhance the educational development of undergraduate students. One such initiative involves a paradigm shift to extend the curriculum into Residential Learning Communities (RLCs). Therefore, this study addresses the following research question: How do African American undergraduate students in RLCs perceive the role of these communities, particularly the kinds of contacts they afford with faculty, staff, and peers, in shaping their educational development? I used qualitative methods – open-ended semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a questionnaire – to explore students experiences in six academically-tied residential learning communities. Thirty-two current and former members participated in individual interviews. Sixteen full-time male and sixteen female students include twenty-two freshmen, four sophomores, four juniors and two seniors. Consistent with Astin’s (1985, 1993b, 1996) work, this dissertation suggests that student involvement with faculty, peers and academics is necessary for retention. However, this study argues that a critical race theory (CRT) perspective is needed to make sense of the way peer interactions create racial barriers and lead some students to develop “racial-cope-ability” skills to deal with racial challenges. High school background plays a role in how students fare in RLCs. High school leadership experiences support high self-efficacy and help students connect with faculty, peers and activities at the onset of the collegiate experience. A number of RLC components help create positive affective and cognitive developmental experiences: • A sense of belonging and a sense of community significantly impact psychosocial wellbeing, success and retention; • Built-in support systems, educational advantages for retention and personalized experiences at a large PWI are reasons to recommend RLCs to other students; and • Residential learning communities can contribute to existing outreach efforts into untapped in-state and out-of-state communities, school systems and outreach efforts on campus. iii Acknowledgements Many people contributed to my adventure as a graduate student at Virginia Tech. I would like to thank Mary Ann Hutchinson, principal, and Nancy Cunnings, secretary, at McIntosh Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia for their assistance at the onset of this journey. I need to express gratitude to Dr. James LaPorte, Dr. E. Bame, Dr. Mark Sanders and Dr. Sharon Brusic for their support to transition me from an elementary school teacher to a graduate student. I offer a sincere thanks to other professors who were instrumental influences to my graduate experience: Dr. Susan Magliaro, Dr. Anne Potts, Dr. Gretchen Givens, Dr. Melanie Uttech, Dr. Megan Boler, Dr. C. Turrentine, and Dr. Terry Kershaw. I need to express appreciation to those who allowed me to proceed with this research project in the field of residence education. Thank you Dr. Gerard Kolwalski, Director of Residence Education and the directors of residential learning communities for permission to gain entrée into the research setting. I want to thank students in this study who entrusted me to tell their stories. A goal to live up to their expectations as a voice for the voiceless was instrumental to this inquiry. To my committee – thank you for your patience, time and guidance from qualifying to defense. Words cannot express how grateful I am to each one of you for sharing knowledge and advice from the conception to the conclusion of this study. Thank you for listening, providing words of encouragement and for your contributions to enhance my self-efficacy and a sense of belonging; for becoming my support system. I need to thank Dr. John Burton for providing an assistantship and a way for Muriel to occupy time in the computer lab on elementary school teacher work days; Dr. Richard T. Graham for inviting me to join a dynamic literacy group and for providing an assistantship following early retirement from the Newport New School System; iv Dr. Benjamin Dixon for meeting with me a number of years ago to listen to my thoughts on tolerance and for providing the opportunity to attend a professional conference; Dr. Jan Nespor for saying the one thing that I longed to hear, “This piece is rich in descriptions,” and to thank him for welcoming Muriel if I needed to bring her to class – all three of them. I need to thank Dr. Jan Nespor for agreeing to accept the role, methodology advisor, for this inquiry – to express my gratitude for guidance and encouragement – to use creativity constructively and meaningfully – to express myself in writing the way I use verbal expression – to develop a thoughtful and meaningful qualitative piece. Dr. Nespor, thank you for freeing my spirit to write: providing direction, and examples, suggesting that I become familiar with the critical race theory, providing information on new books, and sharing educational and research information. Dr. Josiah Tlou, my committee chair, thank you for sharing experiences in Africa, home and food, advice about Muriel, gifts from Africa, conversations about race and social justice – all interwoven with motivation, support, educational and career advice. Thank you for your unending support, encouragement, patience and optimism on my behalf. I appreciate your enthusiasm, advice and I promise to “write my own ticket.” I offer a sincere thanks to numerous colleagues and friends for encouragement, emotional and technical support: Drs. Charlotte and Felix Amenkhienan, thank you for always being there as an extended family, for sharing academic experiences and the West African experience; Dr. Salwa Jawhar for a continuous friendship and for sharing the Kuwaiti experience; Dr. Brenda Brand and Dr. Vanessa Pitts-Bannister – thanks for your support and encouragement; Cathy Skinner and Mike Honchock in the Writing Center, Litha Tlou, Dr. Mary Alice Barksdale – v thanks for your friendship, advice and words of encouragement. MAB, thanks for the opportunity to work with you as a co-researcher. I extend a special gratitude to family: to my daughter Muriel, this dissertation is as much yours as it is mine. Thanks for your help with transcribing tape-recorded interviews and providing input in this study. I thank you for having patience at home and for cooperatively attending several classes when you were younger; for being a source of inspiration; for keeping me grounded and forever young – Oh yes, thanks for being a good student and a helper at home. Thank you for being you! Thank you to my son, Lieutenant C. J. Elliot Best. You are indeed a source of inspiration, admiration and fortitude. You are special! I appreciate your kindness, insight and candidness. Allison, thanks for your expertise with my TOC. I extend a special appreciation for support, encouragement and closeness to the “Best Family:” Ahdel, Senior Master Sergeant Gerald Best and Judge Mischelle Best, Mother Geraldine, Regina, Adam, Yasmin, Renee, and Patrice. I extend thanks for encouragement to long-time close friends: To my other extended family Rose Marie, Raphael Hampton and family, thank you for extending years of kindness, emotional support and for inviting Muriel and I to family celebrations and many special occasions; Cassandra and John Pete; Muriel Rankins; Henry Jackson; and Claudia and Gentle Raines. Finally, I dedicate this dissertation to the memory of my parents, Odell and Bishop Hall, my grandparents Julia and Floyd Shipman, Uncle Collius Shipman, and namesake ancestors Great Grandmother Julia Woods and Great-Great Grandmother Julia Head. I wish you were here! vi Acronyms AP Advanced Placement ASPIRE Academic Summer Program Introducing Resources for Engineers BLSC Biological And Life Sciences Community CEED Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity CRT Critical Race Theory CSRDE Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange CSA Community Service Assistant CS Project Community Service Project EF Engineering Fundamentals FIGs Freshmen Interest Groups GPA Grade Point Average HBCU Historically Black Colleges