A Place for Me? African American Transfer Student Involvement on the Campus of a Predominantly White Institution in the Midwest

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and sense of belonging of African American transfer students attending a predominantly White institution in the Midwest when resources tailored to this specific group were available. This study sought to explore the effect that support services (or lack of) and staff had on the lived experiences and student involvement of African American students on a particular campus. Themes that emerged from the study indicated the cultural difference some students noticed and the satisfaction others felt with the support and programs the university offered them. Staff members indicated a lack of university services and support in retaining and assisting these students. Themes discovered from the data collected included views of the campus community, level of involvement/sense of belonging, relationship building, staff/university support, and whether the staff at the institution was providing enough support for these students.