This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate the retention program for African American males at a technical college. The study focused on the value, merit, and effectiveness of the program. This applied dissertation added credibility to the importance of retention programs, its correlation to student persistence, and its correlation to the success of the program.

The researcher identified the retention problem largely through a preliminary survey and extended the research to collect data, indicating specific details of the model programs’ best practices across the country. Research indicated that the retention rate at the college was similar to that of many colleges and universities across the United States. Likewise, the literary research also confirmed the importance of strong African American male leadership programs in colleges. The retention problem was investigated in detail through 6 data-collection tools, including 3 surveys, a focus group, a demographics questionnaire, and a collection list of best practices established from retention programs at other colleges.

An analysis of the data revealed the existence of a retention program for African American males that had specific gaps in persistence mechanisms. In addition to revealing specific gaps in persistence, the data yielded several possible causes of the gaps. A detailed data analysis concluded with implications of the study as well as recommendations for the institution under study.