'Focus on the bigger picture:' an anti-deficit achievement examination of black male scholar athletes in science and engineering at a historically white university (HWU). Issue 2 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cooper, Joseph N.
• Is Part Of: Whiteness and education. Volume 1:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 109
• Page End: 124
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Black male scholar athletes -- anti-deficit achievement framework -- science and engineering -- academic persistence and achievement; Racism in education -- Periodicals; White people -- Education -- Periodicals; White people -- Race identity -- Periodicals; Multicultural education -- Periodicals; 371.829
• DOI: 10.1080/23793406.2016.1272627
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2379-3406

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of black male scholar athletes in science and engineering majors at a Division I research-intensive historically white university (HWU) and identify key influences that facilitated their academic achievement. Participants included three black male scholar athletes in science and/or engineering majors at a Division I research-intensive HWU. A single focus group, three in-depth individual interviews and an eight-item demographic questionnaire were employed to investigate the phenomenon of interest. The prove them wrong syndrome and an anti-deficit achievement framework were incorporated to explore the pre-college and college influences that contributed to the participants' educational outcomes. Emergent themes highlighted the pivotal role of strong familial support, academic self-efficacy, strategic responsiveness to negative stereotypes and select benefits from athletic participation resulted in the participants' academic achievement. Implications for policy and practice are discussed .