COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Fred Bonner
TITLE: AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?” A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF THE BLACK MALE COMMUNITY, RESILIENCE, AND SENSE OF BELONGING IN THE HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION (HSI) CONTEXT
ABSTRACT: This qualitative study explores the experiences of Black male students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), with a focus on sense of belonging, resilience, and community during the first-year experience. Grounded in Sense of Belonging Theory and Resilience Theory, this study seeks to understand how Black men navigate institutional environments where they are often underrepresented. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with undergraduate students and recent alumni. Thematic analysis revealed six themes: (a) Navigating Cultural Difference: Racial Identity in an HSI Context, (b) Importance of Targeted Support Programs, (c) Faculty and Staff Relationships as Anchors of Belonging, (d) Social Disconnection and Self-Exclusion, (e) Athletics, Extracurriculars, and Brotherhood as Identity Builders, (f) Academic Setbacks as Catalysts for Growth. Participants described belonging as relational, developed through meaningful connections with peers, faculty, and culturally responsive spaces. Resilience emerged as both an individual and collective process, shaped by internal motivation, community support, and the ability to navigate challenges within predominantly non-Black spaces.
Keywords: Black, Males, HSI
Room Location: Delco 169 and Virtual