Dr. Michael R. Twyman, director of the UALR Institute on Race and Ethnicity will present at the sixth annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference Saturday, November 1 at North Park University in Chicago.
The conference is designed for college students and expounds on the expertise of higher education professionals who will present information to the students on how to succeed in college and interact with them throughout the conference.
Twyman’s presentation titled, “Black Males Trapped In a White University Student Body,” points out the increase in the number of black males pursuing college degrees at predominantly white institutions and will focus on ways for them to overcome challenges that “are often internalized” in order to ensure they not only attend college but complete their courses of study.
Learn more about the conference at Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
For more on the presentation, see the abstract below:
By 1970, nearly 60 percent of the Black college student population attended an Historically
Black College or University (HBCU); now 85 percent of Black students attend Predominantly
White Institutions (PWIs). This occurs despite the fact that Black students on the average
still persist at much higher rates at HBCUs, versus PWIs. However, Black males are grossly
underrepresented at both HBCUs and PWIs and fare worse when it comes to attaining a
degree than their female counterparts, regardless of the predominant racial composition of
the college. While a growing number of universities have increased efforts and resources to
help Black males to graduate, many young Black men are still faced with unique challenges
that often impede their ability to make it to the finish line. At the center of some of these
challenges are racial stereotypes and societal expectations of Black males that are often
internalized. The workshop will focus on using one’s racial identity as a source of power for
coping with institutional and interpersonal dynamics related to racism and social isolation
specifically at PWIs. We will also explore how involvement in special race/gender-specific
programs, athletics, fraternities, and other extracurricular activities in any way helps or hinders
the experience of Black males in their pursuit of a college diploma.
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The Institute on Race and Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock was founded in July 2011. With a vision to make Arkansas the best state in the country for promoting and celebrating racial and ethnic diversity, the Institute conducts research, promotes scholarship and provides programs that address racial inequities. It does so by facilitating open and honest dialogue aimed at empowering communities and informing public policy to achieve more equitable outcomes.
