Belonging for Black and Latino Men Compendium

The national conversation about race over the past two years has brought attention to a perennial challenge in higher education: Black and Latino men graduate from college at the lowest rates of any demographic group. To figure out why Black and Latino men lag in graduation and retention rates, EAB researchers spoke with 30+ experts on college campuses.

We learned that having a sense of belonging is critical to retention and graduation. As a distinct minority on campuses that are predominantly white and female, Black and Latino men struggle to find a sense of belonging and a supportive community on campus. They feel isolated and alone, unsure whom to turn to when they face common student struggles like homesickness or rethinking their choice of major.

This compendium features studies of various campus efforts to retain and improve the sense of belonging for Black and Latino men based on three key relationships.

Three relationships that matter most for college success: peers, parents, and mentors

1. Build four-year cohort programs to allow Black and Latino men to connect academically and socially with peers

Black and Latino men often find themselves in classrooms where they are the only person from their background because college campuses today are predominantly white and majority female. Four-year cohort programs for Black and Latino men give them a space where they can study and socialize together as a group. These programs provide them with same-group peers to collaborate on schoolwork with and learn valuable skills for their academic and post-graduate careers.

The Success Academy at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville is a four-year cohort program designed to retain and graduate more Black and Latino male students. In its first year, students in the program had a 91% first-year retention rate, 13% higher than non-Success Academy Black and Latino men.

Study: Increasing Retention Rates for Black and Latino Men

2. Increase student support by maximizing relationships with parents and families

Many students turn to their parents and families when they’re struggling. By providing parents and families with materials that educate them on the struggles their students may face and the campus resources available to them, universities may be able to increase student success.

For Latine families, this may require translating parent and family resources into Spanish or proactively outreaching with translated material that helps them support their student. For all families, this may look like an online platform where they can connect, ask questions, and share advice on supporting their students from afar. The University of Alabama’s Black UA Affinity Group meets virtually once or twice per semester. It features guest speakers or casual discussions where families can get together and uplift and support each other.

Connecting families virtually: University of Alabama’s Black UA Family Affinity Group video meetings

Study: Parent and Family Affinity Groups

3. Be proactive about creating spaces for Black and Latino male mentorship

The first day of college is when students become acclimated to their new environment and begin to make new friends. For Black and Latino men, this can become an isolating experience if they look around campus and don’t see people that look like them. Lehigh University’s partnership with Mentor Collective ensures that students receive a peer mentor before stepping on campus.

In addition to peer mentors, alumni from the same affinity group can provide Black and Latino men with culturally relevant advice that other mentors may otherwise overlook. Three schools are utilizing a Barbershop series to provide Black men with Black alumni mentors and a familiar environment to explore topics like masculinity, dating, and navigating predominantly white spaces.

Study: Bring Barbershop Sessions to Campus