Impact of a STEM Living Learning Community on First-Year Science and Technology Students' Success at a Historically Black College and University

Abstract

Student retention and lack of encouragement are post-secondary institutional barriers that play a critical part in why African Americans are represented in small numbers in STEM (National Science Foundation, 2017). Historical Black Colleges and Universities have always promoted a supportive learning atmosphere for African American students. Living learning communities were created to improve academic outcomes and encourage social engagement. The findings of this study suggest that an LLC at an HBCU plays an integral role in sustaining programmatic retention for STEM majors and improving the academic and social outcomes of first-year science and technology students. 

Keywords: (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Living Learning Community (LLC), Historical Black Colleges and University (HBCU), Academic Success, Retention, Student Engagement)