Exploring Student Perceptions and Experiences

This book speaks to the existence, utilization, and impact of ethnic based cultural centers within higher education, specifically at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus. While some cultural centers are designed to fit the needs of all students, others are specifically designed for particular ethnic groups. At UIUC, there are multiple cultural centers that are designed for specific ethnic groups. With the intention to create better retention rates for current Black students at UIUC, this study focuses on exploring the various experiences and perceptions of students regarding the Bruce Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC) through a series of interviews. After the interviews, the data was analyzed and a list of codes were produced from the research questions asked. The three themes that were developed included the following: Comfort level, Community Building and Black Cultural Center involvement. This study aims to advance our understanding of how Black students feel about the particular cultural center and consider the improvements that can be made in order for BNAACC to remain beneficial to Black students on campus.