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Abstract
The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to understand the experiences of Black athletes who studied and competed at a STEM institution of higher education. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation, participants shared stories of their experiences. The interviews and photos were analyzed using thematic and structural analysis. The six themes that emerged were: it takes sacrifice, we are the Clery alerts: stories about race and racism, break it down day by day, academics humbles us all, they helped me get here, and its like a business: the politics of college athletics. The structural analysis revealed that participates used stories to share their experiences as well as to teach. The study concluded that more stories from African American athletes need to be shared. Implications for practice include the development of an affinity group, intergroup dialogue opportunities, and a Black athlete mentoring program. Further research should explore how African American athletes in other type of colleges and universities describe their experiences, as well as how other athletes with a non-White racial/ethnic identity describe and interpret the college athletic environment.