This dissertation was a multiple case study research project designed to identify whether the "Men of Merit Program" (MOMP) met its goal of increasing persistence, retention, and graduation rates of African American male students at a Western New York Community College. Earlier statistics reported that other American colleges had shown a huge significant negative disparity between African American male student graduation rates and other ethnic populations. Only Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HSBC) have displayed successful results in terms of the numbers of African American male graduates. The goal of this study was to determine if a structured intervention with an individualized mentoring program component could improve graduation success statistics for the African American population of males attending mainstream segregated colleges. Using a "lived experience," qualitative, multiple case study approach, this dissertation involved community volunteer mentors, including this dissertation researcher; college and program administrators, enrolled student mentees; program policymakers; and community education advocates. Open and semi-structured interviews recorded first-hand experiences from the recent student graduates and other participants who described their perspectives of, and experiences with, the program that contributed to the targeted students' success in graduating from college. Also, incorporated within the study were the "lived experiences" of this African American male primary investigator, as one of the volunteer mentors. Three different conceptual frameworks were referenced to assist in evaluating and classifying the "lived experiences" presented in the case studies of this dissertation. They were Bandura's Social Learning Theory; Maslow's Hierarchy of Need Theory; and Kram's Role Theory. The findings of the qualitative investigations identified that the program's "Men of Merit Program's" mentoring component, did help targeted African American students navigate through college to successfully graduate. The study's results showed considerable improvement in African American male graduation rates after engagement in this mentoring program that exceeded the statistics identified in former data reported from other American schools of higher education. [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.]