African American Edge Initiative Pilot Program

Why Edge?

African American student retention rates are the lowest of any other racial or ethnic groups on campus. In Fall 2002, 73.6% of African American freshmen students returned for their sophomore year. By 2006, it increased to 78%, but still remained the lowest percentage of all racial or ethnic groups on campus. According to the final report of the Retention Oversight Group in 2008, “students’ race does not, in and of itself, influence retention” (p. 2). Instead, the students’ high school and first-term college GPAs are strong predictors of academic success.

It is evident that African American students on campus need a push to increase their GPAs and graduate on time. The research also shows that African American students who feel a sense of belonging, defined as feelings of membership in the larger community, develop a better attitude about their college or university.
Program Goals

The goal of the Edge Initiative is to provide formal, sustainable support from the University, and specifically African American faculty and staff, to give African American students an edge—the opportunity to see that they can succeed by working hard, while never giving up their identities.

For more info go to: http://www.csufresno.edu/academics/edge/index.shtml