For the 12th year in a row, the University's graduation rate for African-American students, at 86 percent, is the highest of any state university, according to an article published in this week's issue of the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
The University is followed by other public colleges such as the University of California at Berkeley, with a 70 percent graduation rate among African-American students and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a rate of 69 percent.
Large public universities educate 75 percent of all African-American college students, according to a press release from the University, making the state school black graduation rate a significant benchmark.
The peer advisor program contributes to the University's strong showing, University spokesperson Carol Wood said. Created in 1984 when the graduation rate for African-American students at the University was 61 percent, within four years the figure had risen to 80 percent.
"This [peer advisor] program has been nationally known for its excellence," Wood said.
Wood attributed much of the program's success to the effectiveness of peer to peer encouragement.
"The program was great because students were helping other students to succeed."
Jessica Fowler, a fourth-year College student and peer advisor, also recognized the contributions of the peer advisory program.
"Students are supported academically, socially and psychologically through this program. They are helped to adjust to U.Va.," Fowler said.
University President John T. Casteen, III said in an e-mail that solid improvements were achieved after the introduction of the peer advisor program. Casteen pointed out a sharp contrast with the situation that existed before the advisory program was initiated.
"I remember times in the late 1970s
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