Black Students and the Education System - The Pursuit of Success

Through in-depth qualitative interviews, I examined the contributors to the success of seven Black university alumni to discover how we can increase Black students university attendance in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). When the participants were asked which factors contributed to their success, they attributed it to their resilience, upbringing, positive role model(s), enriching learning experiences, and academic aptitude. Acknowledging the importance and significance of these factors, the thesis elucidates systemic factors, in both the participants home and school life, that either hindered or propelled them in their pursuit of a university education.