Date
11-13-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Jarrod Boggs
Keywords
Black Males, Minority Males, Education, Role of Minority Males, Impact of Minority Males
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Sanders, Mark V., "The Positive Influence of Minority Male Educators: A Phenomenological Study on Their Role and Necessity in Education" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7641.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7641
Abstract
This phenomenological study examined the perceptions and experiences of minority male students in their educational journeys, focusing on the influence of teacher familiarity and cultural awareness. Teacher familiarity referred to shared cultural backgrounds, lived experiences, and relational accessibility that fostered meaningful connections between students and educators. Cultural awareness was examined in relation to minority male educators, who comprised less than 3% of the national educator workforce. Guided by Tinto’s Student Retention Theory, the study explored how academic and social integration influenced student retention and success. The central research question was: What were the experiences of minority male college students regarding the influence of minority male educators on their academic outcomes? A hermeneutic phenomenological design was employed, using purposive sampling to recruit participants who were currently or had recently been enrolled in institutions of higher education. Findings provided insight into how increased representation of minority male educators and enhanced cultural awareness among teachers could promote positive educational experiences and improve academic outcomes for minority male students.
