Investigating the College Adjustment and Transition Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated African American Males at Predominantly White Institutions

• In Event: Pushing Black Males Through the Pipeline: Research to Practice

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand the adjustment/transition experiences of formerly incarcerated African American men at predominantly White institutions. Using a constructivist approach, I interviewed 25 respondents about the nature of their transitions into the academic and social realms of college life. Information about their pre-corrections history and experiences in the penal system also were elicited. Four major findings emerged: participants (a) experience multiple forms of oppression in college; (b) report thinking carefully and frequently about how behaviors relate to prevailing stereotypes; (c) report being acutely aware of differences between them and others; and (d) identify three protective factors that sustain them in college. Results have important implications for educational policy, practice, and research.

Author

• Terrell Lamont Strayhorn, The Ohio State University