Research has shown that African American males lag behind their counterparts. African American males have been stigmatized as being illiterate, violent, and criminals. The purpose of this Qualitative Study was to explore the experience of African American males who achieved academic success at a four-institution. This study sought to understand the importance of student involvement in achieving academic success. It examined the experiences, social, and academic opportunities that led to academic success among black males. The participants of the study expressed what led to academic success. The study materialized five themes from the experiences of the African American male participants: motivation from family experiences or lack of experiences, involvement builds connections, the necessity of financial resources, having a support system, and academic success is more than a degree. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]