For Lane College: A Review of Literature on Black Male Retention and Recruitment Techniques for Private HBCUS

Abstract

This exploration into the extant literature surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) was conducted with the underlying goals of discovering the activities, practices, and polices that Lane College can implement to increase student retention and persistence. Lane College is a private HBCU located in Jackson, Tennessee and therefore does not receive state funding in the same manner as neighboring HBCU, Tennessee State University (TSU).1 Lane College must not only rely on student persistence, but also fiscal creativity to generate the type of funding streams necessary to compete in the post-secondary market. The expressed desire of Lane officials to increase persistence in STEM majors is a well-designed strategic goal that aligns with the needs of minoritized communities nation-wide. Many Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), including HBCUs, are especially vulnerable during market fluctuations, which is important to note amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic. Accordingly, this work analyzes the extant literature devoted to social integration at HBCUs, and recommends strategies for successful STEM implementation. Through the examination the work of prominent scholars such as: John Braxton, Shaun Harper and Marybeth Gasman, this work explores social integration as a prerequisite for persistence and retention, at MSIs.