"This qualitative study utilized Harper and Hurtado's (1997) Sense of Belonging Model as a conceptual framework and a processes similar to ground theory as a theoretical framework to answer two research questions: 1. Do Black gay men feel a sense of belonging at predominantly White institutions? 2. If Black gay men do feel a sense of belonging, what processes contribute to sense of belonging? Given that the graduation rate of Black men is lower than any other group of students in higher education (Harper, Berhanu, Davis III, & McGuire, 2015) and that Black gay men are likely to experience homophobia, heterosexism, sexism, and racism at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) (e.g., Jaggers & Iverson, 2015; Mitchell & Means, 2014; Strayhorn & Tillman-Kelly, 2013a; Woodford & Kulick, 2015), Hurtado and Carter's (1997) Sense of Belonging was a fitting conceptual framework because sense of belonging is known to lead to higher rates of persistence for all students and specifically, minoritized students (e.g., Harper & Hurtado, 1997, Strayhorn, 2012). Social constructivist, anti-deficit, and intersectional lenses were used to explore the sense of belonging of 16 self-identified Black gay men who were at least completing their first year of college at three different PWIs in the Midwest. I conducted two interviews with each participant using a semi-structured interview protocol informed by Strayhorn's (2012) definition of sense of belonging, Harper and Hurtado's (1997) Sense of Belonging Model, and other relevant literature. I used a process similar to grounded theory to analyze interview data including the processes of open, axial, and selective coding. Though participants identified examples of homophobia, heterosexism, sexism, and racism they experienced, they all reported feeling a sense of belonging both within specific groups at their institutions and within their institutions as a whole. The analysis of this study led to the creation of a sense of belonging model that illustrates the process that the 16 Black gay men in this study went through to feel a sense of belonging. The factors identified in the model that led to sense of belonging include identities, cognitive mapping and perception of campus climate, learning appropriate behavior, expression of identities, and developing relationships and finding fit/place. Two participants noted feeling a sense of belonging at some point during their time attending their institution, but did not feel a sense of belonging at the time of their interviews. I describe the sense of belonging model and then the process that three individual participants, Greg, Timothy, and JJ, went through within the sense of belonging model. The discussion situates the factors in the sense of belonging model in existing literature and addresses the contradiction of participants sometimes having negative experiences on campus and yet still experiencing a sense of belonging. Implications for practice include recommendations for institutions based on university programs, student workplaces, faculty, and student organizations. Future uses of anti-deficit and intersectional research lenses are discussed in relation to implications for theory. Finally, implications for future research include recommendations for studying the sense of belonging of Black gay men at historically Black colleges and universities, applying the sense of belonging model identified in this study to students with other minoritized identities, Black masculinities, and sense of belonging and persistence."--Pages ii-iii.
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