285 The ImpacT of The STudenT-aThleTe’S engagemenT STraTegIeS on learnIng, developmenT, and reTenTIon: a lITerary STudy Antwon D. Woods Belhaven University Taryn Price Oklahoma State University Gary Crosby Alabama A&M The current article examines the National Survey of Student Engage- ment (NSSE) fve benchmarks: level of academic challenge, level of active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enrich- ing educational experiences, and a supportive campus environment to assess the student engagement experiences of student athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This liter- ary analysis explores the quality of student engagement among stu- dent-athletes at HBCUs and its impact on learning, development, and retention. Findings show support for the continued success of HBCUs student engagement eforts among student-athletes. Recommendations and areas in need of further research are also outlined to provide a more holistic account of student engagement eforts at HBCUs. Keywords: Student Engagement, Retention, Historically Black Col- leges & Universities, Student-Athletes, National Survey of Student Engagement, Academic Development, and Academic Excellence. Introduction Quality student engagement levels of col- lege students has been indicated as a crucial component to their success. Unfortunately this is not as simple for student-athletes often due to their additional devotions to their athletic programs (Gayles & Hu, 2009).While most students are able to attend courses, study, and enjoy their leisure time, student- athletes must do the same with additional responsibilities (i.e. practice, travel, games). The barriers provided by the demanding schedules of student-athletes requires unique appeals to athletic and higher education administrations to support these students. The benefits of quality student engagement efforts on stu- dents is overwhelmingly positive at HBCUs (Astin, Tsui, & Avalos, 1996; Kim & Con- rad, 2006; Seifert, Drummond & Pascarella, 2006). Adapting various student engagement