Building Career Pathways Within Men of Color Programs: A Qualitative Analysis of Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrator Men

ABSTRACT

Nationally, men of color struggle with college persistence and graduation; therefore, four ethnic‐ and gender‐specific retention programs have been launched to counter these trends and promote degree attainment and career readiness. However, little is known about the programming and strategies used to foster career development practices and attitudes from the perspective of Black faculty, staff, and administrator men who lead these programs. Guided by social cognitive career theory, this qualitative study examined the experiences of eight Black men who lead campus‐based efforts. Key findings emphasize the following: (1) trust‐building by institutional agents, (2) staff as role models and connectors, and (3) asset‐based strategies in coaching. The paper concludes with recommendations for research, practice, policymakers, and counselor education training programs.