A Phenomenological Study: The Cultural Identity of Black Transfer Students in Higher Education

Author

• Briana Lashon LeviFollow

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Division of Education and Counseling

First Advisor

Bethel E. Cager, Ph.D., Chair

Second Advisor

Erica Peyton-Nunnery, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Ramona-Jean Perkins, Ph.D.

Keywords

Afrocentric Pedagogy, Black Identity Development Theory, Community College, Cultural identity, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Transfer Students

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Black transfer students from the California Community College system to Southern Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Guided by two theoretical frameworks, Afrocentric Pedagogy and Black Identity Development Theory (BIDT), the study investigated how participants described and interpreted their cultural identity as they transitioned from a community college to a Southern HBCU. In this study, cultural identity was understood as a holistic construct that included students’ sense of belonging and their experiences of cultural affirmation, which functioned as core components rather than separate constructs from cultural identity. This research specifically focused on the cultural identities of Black students who first attended and graduated from a community college with an associate’s degree and later attended and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a Southern HBCU. The research focused on participants’ lived experiences across these institutional contexts. A purposive sampling approach was used to select eight participants who completed a demographic questionnaire, followed by a semi-structured interview and a focus group. The findings illustrated how participants described their cultural identity across institutional contexts, including how belonging and cultural affirmation shaped their identity. Participants often described community colleges as environments where belonging and cultural affirmation were limited, while HBCUs were experienced as culturally affirming spaces where Blackness was normalized, and cultural identity was reinforced. Collectively, the findings suggested that cultural identity was not formed at a single point in higher education but developed across institutional environments through layered and evolving experiences.

Recommended Citation

Levi, Briana Lashon, "A Phenomenological Study: The Cultural Identity of Black Transfer Students in Higher Education" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 189.
https://digitalcommons.xula.edu/etd/189