Survival Strategies for African-American Women in Community Colleges
Terri J. Hackett (mailto:thackett@sccd.ctc.edu)
African-American women are entering community colleges in greater numbers
each year, but apart from general information about enrollment trends among
all African-American students, very little research has been conducted on
success factors among this growing group of women who attend our
institutions. Research indicates that academic and social fit between
individuals and the institution is an important factor in determining
persistence among African Americans in higher education. Students must feel
the institution is an accessible and welcome place, and that programs and
activities that meet their needs are available. Although African-American
women succeed at higher rates than African-American men in community
colleges, their success rates can increase. Learning why and how African
Americans succeed in postsecondary education will help community college
educators ensure that the achievement gap is closed.
Since it is clear that African-American women are entering higher education
in greater numbers (Wilds & Wilson, 1998), community colleges could better
serve members of this group if more explicit interventions were in place in
early stages of the programs these women enter. Although many activities
can and do provide support for African-American women to improve their
persistence in higher education, institutional strategies for improving the
success rates of these women should be systematic, comprehensive, and
sustained. Social, cultural, and personal support is as important as
academic and financial assistance. The 10 recommendations that follow were
drawn from interviews and focus groups with African-American women students
and support services staff in community colleges.
1.
Create 0rientation programs on how to "do" college. These
orientation programs could include information and techniques for note
taking, networking, understanding the institutional climate, obtaining
financial aid, and advisory support. Since many of these women come to the
community college with little knowledge of postsecondary education, the
orientation sessions should also emphasize informing women of the right
questions to ask and the right time to ask them. Students may not realize,
for example, that they can—and should—ask instructors for progress reports,
suggestions on how to prepare for class, or recommendations for support
services assistance appropriate for the course.
2.
Develop a mentorship program. Mentors can provide a variety of
assistance to students new to higher education as well as those who have
been at the college for one or more terms. Mentors can come from many
areas, including not only faculty but also such college personnel as
administrators, custodians, or human resources staff. Mentors may also be
drawn from outside the college through, for example, community volunteer
organizations and Seniors centers. In selecting mentors, focus on
contributions they can make toward helping students better maneuver
community college systems and enrich their higher education experience.
3.
Assign “Life and Living” Advisors. When African-American women
enter higher education, they face challenges that extend far beyond raised
academic expectations and standards. A group of advisors who provide
nonacademic support such as assistance with housing and day care could help
relieve anxieties regarding basic life needs, thus improving chances of
student success. These advisors would also be available for students to
discuss other challenges they face as they pursue their certificates or
degrees, and they would have resources to assist African-American women
students in crisis. The focus of this advisory group is on ensuring that
the women remain successfully engaged in learning despite obstacles and
anxieties.
4.
Create peer support programs. Peer support programs such as “Each
One Teach One” provide mutual-aid strategies that involve women working
together as peer teachers and peer coaches who help each other academically
and socially. Involvement in these programs reinforces student
understanding that (a) they cannot go through the college experience alone,
and they do not have to, and (b) after being supported through a peerassistance program, they should reciprocate by helping those who come to
the college later.
5.
Design ethnic, cultural, and social support groups. Support groups
that address the specific needs of African-American women provide
reinforcement of important ethnic, family, and social values and
experiences as these students move into new and perhaps unfamiliar places
in their lives. Support groups could be organized around a variety of
topics, including, for example, single mothers, workplace challenges,
health issues, and unemployment. An alliance devoted to students who are
working through their ethnic, cultural, and gender identities as AfricanAmerican women could be particularly helpful in supporting success within
this group.
6.
Recruit more African-American administrators, faculty, staff, and
students. African-American students who see others like themselves in a
variety of roles and positions will have a higher rate of success in
college. These individuals in positions of educational leadership operate
as touchstones and models of resistance and persistence. Active and
imaginative recruitment of African-American women students involves finding
women who face obstacles and create programs that can assist in the removal
of those obstacles. When higher education possibilities are presented by
women of color, potential recruits may feel that they, too, can succeed in
the college environment.
7.
Increase financial assistance. Another significant factor in
supporting success among African-American women is establishing a system of
financial assistance that does not create debt. This can be accomplished in
part by providing more on-campus employment opportunities for students, a
solution which can also have the positive effect of increasing student
feelings of connectedness with the college. Other financial support may be
obtained through philanthropic organizations willing to help with
scholarships and grants that do not require repayment.
8.
Develop an African-American arts, performance, and speakers series.
A program focusing on African-American art, music, literature, and cultural
issues could provide students with exposure to a wealth of people,
perspectives, and experiences. Celebrating the accomplishments of AfricanAmerican artists, authors, performers, and other leaders need not be
limited to Black History Month; by spanning the entire year, such programs
not only support the connection of African-American students to a proud
heritage of success, but also help embed multiculturalism in the college
community.
9.
Create campus-based family support groups. Because many AfricanAmerican women students have strong family connections and obligations,
creating campus-based support programs serves to involve the family in the
college experience. Programs could offer such practical support as
affordable day care centers and counseling programs, but could also extend
to social and cultural events as well. Family nights for spouses, children,
and other significant people in students’ lives could help families learn
about the college and its programs. Such programs can help families feel
more connected to and comfortable with the college and the experiences of
the student member of the family.
10. Conduct workshops and seminars for college survival strategies.
Workshops, seminars, and minicourses on the previous nine survival
strategies as well as other topics can prepare African-American women
students for a successful college experience and help ensure that they
remain successful throughout their time at the institution. Effective
curriculum components for these learning experiences mirror those of the
classroom and include such activities as round table discussions,
simulations, role playing, case study analyses, and readings.
As the numbers of African-American women students on community college
campuses increase, we find a pressing need for information about what these
students need in order to persist and succeed. This information could be
the key not only to attracting more African-American women to higher
education, but also to ensuring that they complete their programs of study.
Although these strategies are discussed here as elements in designing
specific programs to improve academic achievement and persistence rates of
African-American community college women, research and experience suggest
that these and similar techniques can be used to design programs for other
groups, both male and female, at higher education institutions.
Terri J. Hackett (mailto:thackett@sccd.ctc.edu) is Assistant Director of
Admissions at Seattle Central Community College (WA).