Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Higher & Adult Education

Committee Chair

Meg Evans

Committee Member

Brendaly Drayton

Committee Member

Edith Gnanadass

Abstract

This qualitative narrative inquiry explains the factors that contributed to the success of Black male graduates who received Pell Grants at a public, four-year historically White institution in Tennessee. Situated within persistent racial and economic inequities in higher education, the study examines how Black men from low-income backgrounds navigated institutional systems not originally designed to support their success. Guided by African American Male Theory (AAMT; Bush & Bush, 2013b) and Padilla’s Expertise Model of Student Success (EMSS; Padilla, 1994; Padilla et al., 1997), the study centers participants as active agents who developed strategies, knowledge, and meaning-making practices to persist to graduation. Data were generated through in-depth interviews with four Black male graduates and analyzed inductively to identify patterns across their narratives. The findings indicate that persistence emerged through interconnected processes rather than singular traits or institutional interventions. Pell Grants functioned as essential stabilizers that enabled continued enrollment, yet financial aid alone was insufficient, requiring participants to supplement support through employment, family assistance, and strategic decision-making. Relational networks, including Black male peer groups, mentors, family members, and culturally affirming spaces, operated as counterspaces that reinforced belonging within a historically White institution. Participants also described the emotional labor required to navigate racialized campus climates, including self-monitoring and strategic adaptation. Over time, participants developed expertise in navigating institutional systems and redefined success beyond institutional metrics to emphasize purpose, integrity, and community responsibility.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access.

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