Faculty Mentoring At Historically Black Colleges And Universities: A Qualitative Inquiry

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of faculty regarding mentoring and instructional strategies at HBCUs. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. They were associate or tenured full professors in the fields of kinesiology and education who have worked in diverse settings at higher education institutions in the U.S. Data collection included a demographic questionnaire and structured individual interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted to find the common subthemes across the participant interviews. These subthemes included (a) supporting for students, (b) culture of care, (c) identity development and inclusion, and (d) professional development for college level students. Implications were drawn from study participants regarding how undergraduate students at HBCUs can benefit from mentoring and specific instructional strategies.