The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1 - 146

model, this study provides insight into how
African American students at a predominantly
White institution (PWI) navigate ﬁrst-to-secondyear transitions. Additionally, we highlight the
growing body of literature on the second-year
experience and African American students at
PWIs and discuss practical implications for
working with African American students living
in university housing in their second year.

SECOND-YEAR TRANSITIONAL
ISSUES
Early research on the second-year experience,
or sophomore year, characterized it as a period
of dissatisfaction and uncertainty in a student's
life (Feldman & Newcomb, 1969; Furr & Gannaway, 1982; Lemons & Richmond, 1987). The
term "sophomore slump," originally used to
describe an athlete's decrease in performance
from their ﬁrst to second season, now applies
to the second year in college (Lemons & Richmond, 1987; Taris, 2000). In 2000, several
studies showed renewed interest in examining
the second-year experience, and many focused
on key areas contributing to dissatisfaction
and uncertainty in the second year: indecision
about majors and career choices, engaging in
meaningful relationships, and establishing
purpose in life (Boivin, Fountain, & Baylis,
2000; Gardner, 2000; Pattengale & Schreiner,
2000; Schaller, 2005).
While the ﬁrst year of college has been
associated with transitional issues, such as
ﬁnding a peer group and improving academic habits, the second year is often focused on
decisions about careers and majors (Gardner,
2000). Students in their second year of college
may have completed a portion of their general
education requirements but may not have had

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a chance to take courses in their academic
major (Graunke & Woosley, 2005). Students
who feel indecisive about their choice of
major or career may disengage from the collegiate environment and forgo participating in
academic and social opportunities (Gardner,
2000). Graunke and Woosley's (2005) study
of 2,259 second-year students at a predominantly residential Midwestern public university found that second-year students who were
committed to a major achieved higher grades
and were most likely to persist to graduation.
A study of the inﬂuence of college majors on
the persistence of White and African American students in Indiana found that second-year
African American students enrolled in majors
associated with high earning potential in the
labor market, such as health, business, and
engineering and computer science, were more
likely to persist (St. John, Hu, Simmons, Carter,
& Weber, 2004). While this does not mean that
all African American students should commit
to majors in these ﬁelds, it does illustrate that
exploring potential career earnings may help
them decide on a major in their second year.
As a way to help students explore majors,
many colleges and universities have created
living-learning communities focused on an
academic major or a series of courses. Stassen
(2003) examined the effects of three different
types of living-learning community models on
ﬁrst-semester GPA, retention, and the ﬁrstyear experience. All three models, each with
a linked course living-learning community
design, had positive effects on academic performance and persistence. Extending livinglearning communities to second-year students
may inﬂuence their commitment to the institution and their choice of a major.

THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1
