Retention and Attainment at Minority-Serving Institutions

September 3, 2013

Clifton Conrad and colleague Marybeth Gasman (University of Pennsylvania) identify and elevate exemplars of student success at minority serving institutions. With recent funding from USA Funds, Conrad and Gasman examine institutions serving Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-students, in particular, retention rates, learning, and degree attainment. The team examines the environments at these colleges and universities, studies student success initiatives and institutional data, and researches peer and faculty-student relationships. This work builds on research by Conrad and Gasman that dates to a three-year, $1.5 million award from the Lumina Foundation for Education, USA Funds and the Kresge Foundation. These dollars also support examining "models of success" – especially as they relate to student retention and degree attainment -- at a range of minority serving institutions.