Othermothering to Belongingness for HBCU College Student Success

Abstract

The persistence of Black college students shifts the language to focus on social connectivity. Regardless of where Black college students are enrolled, social connectivity is their sense of belonging. In the United States HBCU community, a sense of belonging is largely dependent on satisfying specific social needs, here belongingness is less complicated to develop because it is a culture-based community. HBCU's othermothering can aid in the creation of a community for Black students, adding to their desired sense of belonging, belongingness provides acceptance and confidence. Black students develop their psychosocial Blackness, Nigrescence. This model has four stages of development. The student finds a sense of belonging in their HBCU community, the community explores four factors. The connectedness between othermothering leads to belongingness, which has five areas of importance. As all identifiers work in coordination, the Black HBCU student matriculates through the college community, advances in their personhood, and persists for academic success.