SAAB Research

• We seek to understand the relationship between student background, college-level factors, and academic performance in college by examining how these factors affect AA males in SAAB as well as outside of SAAB.
• We seek to examine perceived social support and its contribution to student achievement.
• Institutional support and academic achievement emerge as important areas to investigate

Research Reflected Through Saab

• A new book exploring factors that impact the success of African American college men is currently in production, due to be published by Jossey-Bass late fall 2004
• The book chapters report on recent research on African American college men and some factors that promote their successful matriculation
• An examination of a sampling of these factors is, in essence, a testimony to the completeness of the SAAB program

Factors found to benefit African American Men in College

• A positive academic climate benefits African American college men
• A positive social environment benefits African American college men
• Mentoring experiences positively impact African American college men
• Positive outcomes associated with leadership roles benefit African American college men
• Positive exercise of spirituality and religious activity impacts on educational outcomes and self-concept of African American college men
• Faculty/staff mentors make a difference
• AA males want support/connections with other AA males
• AA males want to be leaders although they may not indicate it
• Mentoring does work

Recent Research Projects

• A current research study on six of the existing SAAB  chapters employs the Non-Cognitive Variables (Tracy & Sedlacek, 1984)
• NCVs have been shown in numerous studies to serve as strong predictors of college success for African American college students
• The activities of SAAB  reflect these variables
• Non-Cognitive Variables Reflected through the SAAB Experience