First-year minority student mentoring programs: an ethnographic study on the impact of first-year mentoring on second-year retention.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20128383

The number of minority undergraduate students seeking the opportunity to attain higher education in the United States is ever growing. While options such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) may appeal to some minority students, many decide to pursue their education at Predominately White Institutions (PWI's). PWI's are then faced with a scenario that calls for them to respond to the change in campus demographics. While these changing demographics may show a change numerically, there are other cultural and organizational factors that impact the success and progression of a PWI. This research study will investigate the viability of first-year mentoring programs geared toward the transition and retention of minority students. The researcher will also discuss the higher education environments that undergraduate minorities are exposed to and steps that a PWI can take, through the vessel of mentoring, to create an environment that is inclusive of ethnic minority students.