Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Education

First Reader/Committee Chair

Louque, Angela

Abstract

This qualitative case study sought to examine the perceptions of the impact of the sense of belonging for African American community college students in the Umoja Program. Students who participated in this study were enrolled at a community college in Southern California and were interviewed using an online format. The data retrieved through those interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and grouped into themes that illustrate the lived experiences of the student participants. The researcher observed a gap in the literature that limited an intercultural comparative view on the impact of sense of belonging on Black men and women.

There were three central themes that emerged from the analysis of the data. Those themes were (a) academic support, (b) culturally affirming space and community, and (c) leadership and increased involvement at Mountain Top Community College or MTCC. These themes revealed the specific ways in which the Umoja Program impacted the sense of belonging as students persisted toward graduation. They also revealed the concept of a gendered sense of accountability. The recommendations, delivered through the analysis of the data, promoted adjustments and collaborations that would uphold the sustained level of sense of belonging for future Black students in the program. If replicated at a community college of similar demographics or similarly achieving Black students, the results of this study would be consistent.

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