This study considered whether participation in a rigorous, intense summer bridge program had a significant effect on the academic success of African-American male and female students in developmental education, compared to nonparticipants, at a four-year Historically Black University in terms of retention, progression, and graduation from 2008-2012. Participants in the summer bridge program entered with significantly lower test scores and high school grades than nonparticipants, yet for all cohorts combined the summer bridge participants achieved significantly higher college GPAs and were retained to the second and third year at significantly higher rates. Female participants showed the greatest gains in all categories, with significantly higher GPAs and retention, for all cohorts. Male participants' GPAs and retention, were, overall, not significantly higher. Graduation rates for females were also encouragingly higher, though they did not reach a level of significance.