The Impact of a Historically Black College on African American Students

Abstract

An exploratory study assessed the impact of LeMoyne-Owen College (LOC) on students. Eighty randomly selected students (34 freshmen and 46 seniors) participated. They received measures of college adjustment (to the LOC mission), faculty interaction, study habits, personal management, and social adjustment. Results were controlled for social class, aptitude, and variations in age. The results showed that (a) seniors scored higher on all five scales measuring aspects of college adjustment, (b) the strongest effect was the impact of the LOC mission, (c) males showed more widespread development by a factor of 3 to 1, (d) vocational aspiration was the best predictor of grades, and (e) grade point average was the best predictor of the socioeconomic status of vocational aspiration and was positively affected by LOC. The most important implication for institutional action is the power of the mission statement to presage effects on students. Implications for the study of Black student development in college are discussed.

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