University of Missouri

African American Undergraduate Millennials

This research study seeks to empirically examine if Black racial identity is still relevant to millennial African American college students. The millennial undergraduate has a very unique experience of having been raised in the most racially diverse and multicultural accepting social milieu. Thus, research is now reflecting that questions of racial identity may no longer pervade the forefront of ethnic-minorities in terms of who they are as students, members of a minority group, or in as participants in social groups.

To meet the objective of the study, an electronic survey approach involving quantitative analyses of the data will be employed. Using data African American participants attending a predominantly white mid-western university, this study focuses on the implications of racial identity constructs influencing higher education policies concerning the retention and degree completion rates of African American collegians.

The findings will be discussed in terms of generational theory. Implications for student support, retention, and degree completion policies will also be discussed.