"We Need to Stick Together for Survival": Black College Students' Racial Identity, Same-Ethnic Friendships, and Campus Connectedness

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Student Learning and Development in Higher Education Poster Session

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined the relationship between racial identity and campus belongingness in an ethnically diverse sample of Black college and university students. We further considered the role friendships with same-ethnic peers plays in this relationship. 345 Black self-identified college and university students attending school in the United States completed the survey portion study, and of those, 24 participated in in-depth interviews. Findings show that for Black American students, closeness with Black American peers (and not Caribbean or African students) mediated the relationship between racial identity and campus belongingness. Qualitative data further support the importance for same-ethnic friendships for Black college students. This study highlights the need for ongoing research considering the ethnic diversity of Black college students.

Authors

• Barbara Thelamour, The College of Wooster

• Chrystal George Mwangi, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Ijeoma Ezeofor, University of Maryland - College Park

• Catherine Kuzmishin, The College of Wooster