journal_vol49no2 - 70

A Bridge Over Troubled Water:
Designing and Implementing a Living-Learning
Community to Produce Optimal Outcomes
for Black Males
BLACK MALE RETENTION RATES in college tend to be lower than they are
for Asians, Whites, and Latino males as well as their gendered counterparts in
college. Various factors play a role in the higher attrition rates of Black males
in higher education. However, there are programmatic initiatives that can
contribute to the academic and career success of these students. For example,
living-learning communities are recognized as a high impact practice for student
engagement. Moreover, these high impact practices, such as first experiences
courses, study abroad, and undergraduate research, contribute to student
matriculation and retention. Therefore, this article will detail how the authors
contributed to creating the Jamii House, a residential learning community charged
with improving the graduation rates of Black males at a research-intensive
university in the northeastern U.S.
T
he successful enrollment of Black men in college, as well as their following
through to graduation, is vital to increasing diversity in the U.S. workforce.
Black male success can improve their employment rates and quality of life and
can increase the likelihood of their upward mobility (Carnevale et al., 2015; Hines
et al., 2020). Moreover, educational attainment is a gateway to more opportunities in
general (Carnevale et al., 2015). The benefits of college appear to span multiple ethnic
groups in America. For instance, an article from Northeastern University highlighted
a 57% job opportunity increase compared to those who do not graduate, and it was
projected that 80% of online job recruitment in 2020 would be posted for individuals
with a college degree (Joubert, 2020).
Unfortunately, many Black males are not afforded the opportunity to pursue or
attain a postsecondary education (Hines, Mayes, et al., 2021). However, interventions
such as living-learning communities (LLCs) can help them successfully transition to,
matriculate, and complete college (Cintron et al., 2020; Hines, Mayes, et al., 2021).
Initiative programs for Black males benefit their academic and social integration and
can lead to their retention and persistence. According to Thomas Hill and Boes (2013),
Volume 49, No. 2 * 2023 67

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