Impressions: African American first-year students' perceptions of a predominantly white university

This article describes a study of African American first-year students' impressions of a predominantly White public university. Participants (N = 10) were asked to take photographs illustrative of their perceptions of the campus environment and to discuss their photographs in individual and small group interviews. Six themes emerged from these data: the physical beauty of the campus, the immensity of the campus, participants' consciousness of being Black on campus, the influence of Greek-letter organizations, the prevalence of voluntary racial/ethnic separation, and participants' concerns about preparing for their futures. Implications of these findings for collegiate policies and practices are discussed. Recommendations include continuing support for initiatives such as TRIO's Student Support Services program, which promote minority student recruitment and retention.