COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Fred Bonner

TITLE: MORE THAN BELONGING: HOW AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE VERTICAL TRANSFER STUDENTS USE COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH TO NAVIGATE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTIONS

ABSTRACT: Vertical Transfer students who are Black Male, remain to face disproportionately low graduation rates at predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), even while community colleges have had a historical impact expanding opportunities and access into the field of higher education for minority students Center for Community College Student Engagement et al., 2025). Researchers McCall and Castles (2020), indicated through their observations of research that there is limited scholarship on Black Male transfer students at PWIs, including studies that analyze both populations altogether are particularly rare or how they utilize cultural assets impact their path to graduation. This qualitative – phenomenological study is defined through the lens of the Community Cultural Wealth Model (Yosso, 2005). This study aims to examine how Black Male vertical transfer employ familial, aspirational, linguistic, resistance, navigational, and social capital. This research engages 8 –12 African American/ Black males transfer students who will participate in a semi-structured interviews conducted via Webex. Through content analysis, open coding, and reflexive theme analysis. This study explains how this specific population interprets their lived experiences, utilize their cultural assets, microaggressions, structural inequities, and react to racialized climates. Findings aim to uncover and deepen the depth of understanding of how Black male vertical transfer students formulate their identity development, sense of belonging, and institutional mobility, to ensure that higher education practitioners, administrators, policymakers, and board of regents are creating an educational environment that is culturally responsive and equity-centered for all students. In an effort to center the voices of Black male vertical transfer students, this study contributes to insights that are needed to strengthen programming and equity driven support systems, transfer pathways, to increase graduation rates amongst underserved communities of students.

Keywords: Black, Male, Vertical, Transfer

Room Location: Delco Building, Room 228