Amor y Apoyo: Lecciones de Latinx Families in Nourishing Resilience to First and Second-Generation College Students

The present qualitative study aims to understand how Latino/Hispanic herea er referred to as Latinx, parent involvement is different or similar among first- and second-generation college students in how they experience higher education and how parental education impacts the use of student support services. Hence, supporting Latinx student retention by developing university and parental relationships. Second-generation college students and Latinx parents were unable to be included in the study because of their scarcity or hesitation of participating. Therefore, participants included a convenience sample of six first-generation undergraduate students from a 4-year institution. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain their stories of parental involvement and student involvement. Results suggest that (1) first-generation college students experience a hands-off involvement from parents, however, they enjoyed the freedom this brought, (2) Latinx parents might have a misunderstanding of college student identity, and (3) students expressed a desire to have their parents learn about and understand mental health. Implications of findings include universities creating more resources to support Latinx students’ mental health, as well as earlier school outreach for Latinx parent involvement to better inform them about the college lifestyle

First-Generation College Students & Campus Resources

The purpose of this research was to analyze how campus resources at Valparaiso University affect first-generation college students. Specifically, this study looked at the effect campus resources have on feelings of belonging on campus and academic success. First generation college students are defined as students whose parents have not obtained a four-year degree. This study used a questionnaire that was emailed to every known first-generation college student at Valparaiso University. This consisted of five sections: demographics, campus resource use, the campus community, academic preparedness, and experience. The use of campus resources section used a Likert scale to see how often students used different campus resources. The campus community and academic preparedness sections also used a Likert scale to see how much students related to questions such as, “I feel like I fit in at Valpo”. Finally, the experience section allowed for students to write in specific challenges they have faced on Valparaiso University\u27s campus. These results can help further develop the Persistence and Success Program (PSP), a first-generation college student program on campus

The First-Generation Student Journey: Dismantling Obstacles to Success

This article addresses the importance for student affairs professionals to have proficient knowledge of the issues facing first-generation college students. A first-generation college student, the child of parents who never attended or completed college, often faces much adversity due to the lack of cultural capital, familial animosity, confusion about socioeconomic status, and a shortage of institutional support. In most cases, the identity of a first-generation college student is entirely invisible to others unless the individual makes other people aware—an oftentimes embarrassing disclosure. The Documenting Effective Education Practice (DEEP) project “examined the everyday workings of a variety of educationally effective colleges and universities to learn what they do to promote student success” (Project DEEP Overview, n.d.). Campuses involved in Project DEEP focus specifically on first-generation students. In this article, the authors will explore the methodology and practices of these campuses, share personal stories as first-generation students, and highlight the importance of student affairs professionals who focus on the support and development of first-generation college students

Challenging the Model Minority Myth as a First-Generation College Student

First-generation Asian American college students must be resilient to overcome the many challenges they face in their college experience. Because these students are first-generation students of color and are also Asian American, they experience unique challenges and complexities. First-generation students of color often navigate the college experience with families who have little to no context surrounding higher education, may have varying levels of college readiness upon entry, and frequently encounter financial challenges and other barriers to education. At the same time, Asian American students must grapple with high expectations set by society because of the model minority myth. How are these students expected to meet the high standards set by others while facing so many barriers to their success in higher education? In this article, I explore the challenges that students who hold these intersecting identities face, and I provide recommendations for institutions to better support these students

Moving from Access to Success: How First-Generation Students of Color Can Build Resilience in Higher Education through Mentorship

In recent years, the enrollment of first-generation students of color in higher education has increased across the nation, reflecting a slight improvement in college access for them. However, first-generation students of color continue to face a variety of challenges which impede their social and academic success and contribute to low retention rates at the university. In this article, I propose a holistic approach to mentorship to support first-generation students of color in their transition to college. I start this article with my scholarly narrative as a first-generation student of color and how my mentors played an important role in helping me build resilience in higher education. I also discuss guidelines to model an ethic of care and build resilience through mentorship

A Rising Image and a Brighter Future: Gettysburg College in Spring 1929

The spring semester of 1929 at Gettysburg College saw a unique combination of ambition and aspiration from many different quarters of the college community. While the college still struggled with antiquated student life and a male-dominated population, the college broke new ground by building its first ever library, winning the conference basketball title, and seeing a new generation of female students gain academic prominence. At the peak of the Roaring Twenties and led by College President Henry Hanson, Gettysburg College was creating for itself a brighter future

My Story as a First-Generation Student from Vietnamese Immigrant Backgrounds and Implications for Asian American Students

Expressing myself in my own voice has never felt so liberating and uplifting, especially when it comes to writing in the academic world. Thanks to the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) methodology of Dr. Robert Nash, I have a chance to share my voice from my perspective as a marginalized student. Neither of my parents went to college. What does this mean for me as an Asian American first-generation student? What does my background say about me, specifically as a student and generally as an individual person? What are some of the obstacles and opportunities in my journey and in my education? How do my own stories connect to others from similar backgrounds, and hopefully to others from different backgrounds as well? What do I want my readers to take away from my own learning experiences? In my thesis, I discuss my experiences as a first-generation student from my Vietnamese background. I describe in detail about my family backgrounds, some major events in my childhood, and how these changes shape who I am today. In order for me to move forward, I need to pause and rediscover my roots, my heritage, and my family\u27s values and learn to appreciate them. I discuss my experiences of going to high school and college in the U.S. I also explain how I experience the issues of race and social class when living in the U.S. I address some of the obstacles that I face as well as the opportunities that arise throughout my journey. What have I learned from these experiences thus far? I believe that sharing my story gives me the opportunity to connect with other students, educators, and administrators in higher education. This will allow us to acknowledge some issues that students of color have and how we can work together to address these issues. Based on my experiences, I have made some recommendations for students of color, especially Asian American first-generation college students. I also have some recommendations for educators when working with this marginalized population, specifically students from underrepresented groups and students from first-generation backgrounds

First-Generation College Student Day

https://spiral.lynn.edu/academic-advising-events/1000/thumbnail.jp

Crisis and Opportunity: Aligning the Community College Presidency with Student Success

In recent years, Americans have awakened to the profound connection between community college student success and the strength of our nation.That community colleges matter deeply is clearfrom a few simple facts:They educate over 7 million degree-seeking students, more than 40 percent of the U.S. college population.They have in recent years been growing at four times the rate of four-year colleges.They enroll a disproportionately large share of the rapidly expanding number of college students of color and first-generation students.Today, though, not enough community college students succeed. This reality was boldly acknowledged in a recent report by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC): "What we find today are student success rates that are unacceptably low, employment preparation that is inadequately connected to job market needs, and disconnects in transitions between high schools, community colleges, and baccalaureate institutions."?Focusing exclusively on the challenges facing the entire sector, however, obscures an important fact: Many community colleges have been engaged in difficult work on their campus to achieve improved rates of completion, higher levels of student learning and job preparedness, and more equitable outcomes for students of color and others who have historically been left behind in public education.The organizations that prepared this report, Achieving the Dream and the Aspen Institute, work with many institutions that are in fact demonstrably improving student success.What we have learned through our work is that while strong leadership can be exercised by people throughout an institution, every high-performing community college has a first-rate president. The best leaders across the country have a special set of qualities and know-how that enable them to lead institutions to high and improving levels of student success. This report presents a unified vision of who these leaders are and what they do, so that everyone involved in hiring and preparing community college presidents -- trustees and leaders of state systems, universities, and associations -- can consider the extent to which their assumptions and practices ensure that strong presidents are chosen and effectively trained to lead colleges in ways that meet the aspirations of every student as well as the critical goal of significantly improving student outcomes