New Study Identifies Factors Contributing to Black Male Success in College

Charlita Shelton, president of the University of the Rockies in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has published research on a large group of African-American men who were college dropouts but went back to school to earn their degrees. She identified four factors that are important contributors to black male academic success:

• Self-determination and a strong sense of self-identity which give black men an internal motivation to succeed;

• Taking academic courses with a relevance to black men’s chosen career;

• A high level of family support and a sense of obligation to the family to succeed; and

• Financial support from government sources and academic counseling at institutions of higher education.

Dr. Shelton is a graduate of Western Michigan University. She holds a master’s degree from National University in San Diego, as well as a second master’s degree and a Ph.D. in human development from Fielding Graduate University.

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