| dc.description.abstract | This qualitative study uses narratives to explore the extent to which Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLO) membership made a difference in the social integration, leading to the persistence, of twenty-six African-American male college graduates that attended a predominately White institution (PWI). It examines BGLO's existing free spaces that provide solace, identity (re)formation, and/or individual growth, leading to a culture of success for its members. It also considers their potential to create free spaces to exercise democratic resistance against hegemonic forces that create barriers to access, integration and persistence for African-Americans. Findings revealed an exclusive BGLO network, Persistence Structure Model, and expectation that members maintain very active schedules and assume leadership roles on their campuses. BGLO membership was also instrumental in compelling reluctant African-American males to assimilate into the dominant college culture of their institutions by shielding them from alienation or providing opportunities to get involved. Far too often, educational research focuses on why students of certain demographic groups fail to persist as opposed to studying why they succeed. The participants' narratives provide a refreshing perspective of academic achievement, college attainment and persistence for African-American males in the face of mounting stories of failure. Despite the tremendous disparity between the number of African-Americans who enter college and those who complete their degree, the number that graduate is still growing and are also worth investigating | |
