First-generation college students (FGCS) face unique challenges that could negatively impact their college success. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of FGCS attending a Christian university in the southwestern United States. A second purpose of this study was to assess whether differences exist between White and non-White FGCS regarding racial and cultural inclusion, academic resources, socioeconomic status, isolation and loneliness, life experiences, sufficient academic resources and financial concerns. An independent sample t-test was conducted to compare the scores of gender and ethnicity of FGCS, and Levene’s test was conducted to assess the equality of variances of the scores. Findings from this study showed that White FGCS reported that they were more likely to feel racially and culturally included while attending ACU. Implementing policies and plans to address mentorship would likely give non-White FGCS a sense of belonging and connection on campus
