Flowers in bloom: The experiences of African American undergraduate single mothers at a predominantly white institution

Abstract

Little research has been done to examine the experiences of African American
undergraduate single mothers. Because of this, the purpose of this study was to explore
the lived experiences of African American undergraduate single mothers at a
Predominantly White Institution. Prior research identified the following themes: African
American women in higher education, single mothers in higher education, welfare
reform, and support systems. A qualitative study was conducted to gain an in depth
understanding of five women's perceptions of their experiences at Fields University.
Individual interviews were conducted with five student mothers, each of whom had one
child living with her. These interviews were tape recorded, transcribed into computer
files, and coded to identify general themes and subthemes. Themes that emerged during
transcript analysis were: learning about single motherhood, challenges, keys to success,
and embracing the future. The findings were then analyzed and compared to prior
research. The discussion section revealed several commonalities between prior research
and themes from the current study. This study concludes with recommendations for
institutions of higher education, African American single mothers, and future research.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Daniel Nadler (Supervisor)