An Overlooked Piece of First-Gen College Success: Overcoming Past Traumatic Experiences

Transitioning to higher education is a challenge for most first-generation students; however, it can be even more challenging for those who have experienced past trauma. Up to 85 percent of young people report being exposed to a traumatic event before entering college. Often, educators who are not trained to recognize trauma responses can miss signs when they appear in their students. This can create distance in the student/educator relationship. This workshop session will help educators recognize signs of and triggers for trauma so that they can better serve the students in their care. Using the principles of the Sandy Blume’s Sanctuary Model, participants will explore the impact of an individual’s culture, experiences, and traumas on their perception of Safety, Emotion, Loss and Future (S.E.L.F.). The workshop facilitators will further discuss how these perceptions translate into individual behavior, interactions with others, and responses to conflict in life and within the lives of people who have experienced trauma. It is the presenters’ hope that educators will gain a deeper understanding of firstgeneration student’s experiences and needs in order to improve relationships and learning in the future