Abstract:

This paper argues that communication skills and student retention are key factors in the survival of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the USA. In particular, authors will provide strategic evidence that suggest ways to help keep students enrolled in academic programs and to earn a more practical as well as beneficial undergraduate degree from South Carolina State University (SCSU).

Professor and honor student, authors of the paper, provide data that support the following research themes:

1. Communication skills and student retention should be major components of the Quality Enhancement Plan at SCSU.
2. An interdisciplinary and group-team approach will be designed as a communicative tool to help track, monitor, and offer persuasive rationale for academic program completion at SCSU.
3. This multifaceted initiative on student retention suggests ways to help minimize physical and sociological exigencies (physical and psychological barriers) that may stand in the way of academic program completion at SCSU.
4. Student leadership (honor student's plans for the initiative) offer reasonable ideas to help lessen the number of student drop outs and suggest a more relevant and polarized procedure for the improvement of student retention at SCSU.
5. General Education Core (GEC) courses that make up the undergraduate curriculum and a strong liberal arts and science academic base of study is an ideal starting point and work-arena to communicate with faculty, share cohesive plans, and to disseminate practical strategies of quality enhancement for student-success and retention across colleges and programs at SCSU.

The authors advocate and show that this exploratory research paper is descriptive. And while be interested In national and international points of view on the initiative, the paper is intended as a helpful source of information only, and in no way serves as administrative policy, unless adopted by the university in its current search for a QEP. Data, results, implications, and conclusions given in this paper support both research themes and provide the best persuasive evidence for the research initiative.

Finally, the augument presented by authors Is sound. It is their conviction and resolution that a new, and perhaps more progressive, way to encourage students to stay on task and complete their chosen academic-programs of study is achievable, especially when a viable Quality Enhancement Plan is in place and serves as a beneficial catalyst, designed to maximize student retention, long-term learning, and academic success at SCSU.

Keywords:

Communication Skills, Student Retention, Quality Enhancement Plan, Minority Student Enrollment in USA, Rhetorical Criticism.