For my senior honors thesis I am examining how the perceptions of predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) affect African American college attendees’ perceptions of their own self esteem, levels of stress, and academic engagement within each environment. This past winter term, I designed and distributed my survey. Within a few months, I was able to gather over 600 responses. Over the summer, I started drafting my thesis. I plan to finish processing my data and drafting my analysis and results section by September, so I can spend the rest of the semester polishing my thesis. My faculty advisor Dr. Myles Durkee has truly been a great help throughout this process. I hope this research can help PWIs/HBCUs develop programs to ensure more equitable student outcomes and aid aspiring Black college attendees in their decision-making processes.
