Mitigating race: Understanding the role of social connectedness and sense of belonging in African–American student retention in hospitality programs

Given the shifting demographic composition of the U.S., and the need to have qualified ethnic minority professionals serving diverse communities in the hospitality industry, retention and matriculation of ethnic minority students are of paramount importance. Since many predominately White institutions (PWIs) experience challenges retaining these students, this exploratory study sought to better understand how social connectedness related to retaining African–American students in a hospitality management program. The findings suggest that (1) being connected to the program and university; (2) the depth and quality of relationships with faculty; and (3) the presence of minority faculty is important in retaining African–American students.