From junior college to university: Contributing factors to completion of a bachelors degree for African American scholarship football players

This study focused on African American junior college (JC) football players who transferred to the University of Wyoming (UW). Among athletics, the graduation rates of African American student-athletes have become a very serious issue. African Americans are being recruited by universities all over the country for their athletic performance but rarely for their academic abilities. The concern is whether the athletic department as well as the university are doing their part in helping the student-athletes achieve a degree. There is also a question of whether the student-athletes are doing what is required of them to earn a degree. Ed.D., Department of Adult Learning & Technology, May, 2009.;Fourteen African American football players who were JC transfers were interviewed to obtain their perceptions of factors that might contribute to low graduation rates and those that might enhance them. The factors that emerged from the interviews offer insight into the perceptions the transfer student-athletes have about the Laramie community, UW and reasons they did or did not complete their degree. The eight factors that surfaced during the interviews were acceptance of individual responsibility, increase attention to academics on the part of coaching staff, assistance with academic performance, supporting cultural and social needs of African Americans, assistance with transition from JC to universities, acceptance both on campus and in the Laramie community, support of family and friends, and availability of fifth year scholarship.;The participants' overall experiences at the university as well as in the Laramie community were used to provide general feedback for the study. From this and the eight factors, implications for practice were suggested. They included development of a panel of African American student-athletes who would interact with the athletic department and student services on a regular basis, recruitment from surrounding areas, implementing an orientation specifically for African American community college transfer student-athletes, revising the student-athlete handbook, revising the advising process, developing mentor relationships with former UW football players, developing opportunity for these student-athletes to interact with the community, improving the relationship between faculty and both the student-athlete and the athletic department, expanding relationships with the African American student body at Colorado State University, and providing fifth year scholarships. The hope is for the university and the athletic department to use these suggestions to assist future generations of African American student-athletes in achieving a bachelor's degree.