Belonging for Black and Latino Men Compendium

Key Insights

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.