ABSTRACT
In 1976, the University of Virginia created an Office of African-American Affairs (OAAA) and gave it a specific mission of assisting the university in providing a welcoming and nurturing environment for black students. One of the primary reasons for the success of racial diversity at the University of Virginia is the OAAA. The University has integrated key components of a successful retention model: a Peer Advisor Program, a Faculty–Student Mentoring Program, and a Parent Advisory Program. In addition, students have the Luther Porter Jackson House as their home away from home. At the institution, students learn immediately the reason the university has one of the best reputations nationwide for graduating African-American students. Building upon the successes of the Peer Advisor Program in supporting first-year students, the OAAA launched a Faculty–Student Mentoring Program to provide upper-class students with expanded support for intellectual and personal success. It is designed to promote and facilitate interactions between faculty and upper-class students of color.
