Exploring Sense of Belonging among Black International Students at an HBCU.

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are defined by their principal mission of educating African Americans and these institutions have been recognized for their success in fostering African American student satisfaction, achievement and retention at higher rates than predominantly White institutions (PWIs) (Allen, Jewell, Griffin, & Wolf, 2007; Palmer, 2010; Perna, 2001). However, since their origination, HBCUs have also provided access to diverse populations outside of the African American community. Extant literature illustrates the experiences of these populations, particularly focusing on White students, faculty, and staff at HBCUs (Conrad, Brier, & Braxton, 1997; Jackson & Daniels, 2005; Peterson & Hamrick, 2009). I use the terms Black international student and foreign-bom Black student interchangeably. Additionally, I use the terms African American student, native-born Black student, and Black American student interchangeably. Another student demographic who attend HBCUs are those who racially identify as Black, but are not native-born Americans. The national origin of these students is typically - although not always - from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, or the Caribbean (Kent, 2007). Despite shared race, Black international students often have differences in culture, ethnicity, and language from native-born Black Americans (Kent, 2007). Though much literature on HBCUs and Black HBCU students is situated within a historical context that stems from slavery in the United States and later, the Civil Rights movement; this is not the heritage of all Black students who attend HBCUs, particularly those of whom are foreign-born. Still, studies on Black college students often combines native- and foreign-born Black students as a single demographic or does not include foreign-born Black student data at all (George Mwangi, 2014; Massey, Mooney, Torres, & Charles, 2007). Consequently, the experiences of Black international students as they transition and adjust to the college environment are not extensively acknowledged in research.PURPOSE OF STUDYThe purpose of this study is to examine Black international students' sense of belonging at an HBCU and the factors impacting their sense of belonging. Understanding this issue is significant to these students' ultimate academic success as numerous scholars link academic and social sense of belonging to overall student satisfaction and retention (Tinto, 1993; Tovar, Simon, & Lee, 2009). In addition, this study's findings elucidate intragroup dynamics and cross-cultural interactions within the HBCU environment. Throughout history, HBCUs have shown consistent interest in Africa and the Caribbean through hiring of faculty and enrollment of students from these regions as well as through participation in study abroad/exchange programs (Awokoya & Mann, 2011). Over the past 25 years, 21% of all foreign-born Black students received PhDs from HBCUs (Baskerville, Berger, & Smith, 2008). However, in their study on HBCU students Awokoya and Mann (2011) found, "particularly within the context of HBCUs, the within-group diversity as it relates to ethnicity, class, language, and national and geographic origin are often minimized in conversations about the Black student population," (p. 24). Although there has been a strong and consistent foreign-born Black presence at HBCUs, there is a dearth of empirical research regarding their- 1e0d1u6c a-tional experiences at these institutions. This study elucidates the experiences of HBCU students who are racially Black, but differ in nativity and nationality from their Black American peers. The research questions for this study are:* How do Black international HBCU students describe their sense of belonging on campus? * What factors impact Black international HBCU students' perceptions of sense of belonging? THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEWThis paper is framed using the concept of sense of belonging. …