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SYNOPSISObjective. This study explored the role of intergenerational narratives in the motivations and goals of first-generation college students. Design. Reflexive thematic analysis examined narrative responses to open-ended questions regarding their motivations and goals for college enrollment. Results. Analyses generated a central theme: breaking the family cycle of poverty to achieve upward mobility. This theme included three subthemes: attaining financial stability, obtaining a higher level of education than their family, and challenging oppressive university and societal systems for a better future. The participants often approached their intergenerational narratives in two distinct ways: “self-initiated” and “parent-initiated.” In parent-initiated narratives, participants centered their parents in their intergenerational stories. They stated that their parents’ stories inspired them to attend college, break the cycle of poverty, and avoid the hardships their parents experienced. Conversely, in self-initiated narratives, participants centered themselves in the intergenerational stories. They expressed their aspirations to break the family cycle of poverty and avoid the challenges they and their families faced while growing up. Conclusions. These findings underscore how first-generation college students’ intergenerational redemption narratives shape their motivations for pursuing higher education and life goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase persistence, many universities provide first-year seminars (FYS) for entering students. Although there have been consistent positive outcomes for FYS participants, many times, the research is based on short-term outcomes, or less rigorous analysis. This study assessed short- and long-term outcomes for Hispanic (n = 456) and Hispanic first-generation students (n = 350) who participated in a research-based academic FYS. FYS participants had significantly higher outcomes in first-term GPA, 1-year persistence and graduation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to provide a profile of preservice music educators who chose to attend community college and a description of factors that led to this choice. The study was framed by Perna's college choice model and focused on participants' experiences and the socioeconomic and educational contexts that predated their enrollment. Quantitative data were collected via a questionnaire to community college students who sought a career in music education (N = 59). Qualitative data were gleaned from interviews with four participants. Most participants (77.97%) identified as White, 47.47% identified as female, the mean age was 21.90 years, and 50.85% were first-generation college students. Participants reported varying levels of cultural capital, with 54.24% receiving private lessons prior to college. Affordability, location, the opportunity to live at home, flexible scheduling, and prior positive experiences with the college were motivators for attending a community college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground: First-generation college students struggle to navigate the college experience. Prior research suggests that social capital plays a critical role in college success such that students benefit from building networks of support within the university.Objective: We investigated whether social capital, in the form of engagement with university services, had positive implications for college students’ mental health and academic performance, particularly for first-generation college students.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with both first- and continuing-generation students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution to gain a qualitative, in-depth understanding of the extent to which students took advantage of university services, and whether such engagement promoted their mental health and academic success. Results: Narratives revealed that first-generation students felt uniquely overwhelmed and could benefit from building connections and seeking support. Students emphasized the positive impact of community connections.Conclusion: University-wide programming focused on community building may improve first-generation students’ college experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the potential for student employment to be considered a high-impact practice (HIP) in higher education. The authors highlight the benefits of student employment, particularly for low-income, first-generation college students, who often rely on work to offset the costs of their education. The article presents case studies from two campuses within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, Binghamton University and Stony Brook University, which have implemented strategies to transform student employment into meaningful learning experiences. The authors provide recommendations for other institutions interested in elevating student employment as a HIP, emphasizing the importance of connecting career services, infusing high-impact elements into roles, and prioritizing supervisor training. [Extracted from the article]

Undermatching, or students attending less selective colleges than they are academically qualified to attend, is seen as a contributing factor to the lagging college completion rate of low-income and first-generation college students. Addressing the mismatch has been mainly limited to the individual level. Through analysis of interview and longitudinal school administrative data with aspiring first-generation college low-income Latinx youth who started preparing to attend college in middle school, we find that the need to work, which students started doing in high school, was a major factor in students' undermatching. We show how employment collides with the structure of colleges as racialized organizations (Ray, 2019), especially matching colleges with high graduation rates. Selective colleges did not provide the support students needed to address their financial situations, and students attending schools to which they undermatched required more assistance navigating work and schools to stop them from dropping out. We also discuss program and policy solutions to address the low college completion rates of Latinx first-generation college students more fully as well as how to better support their need to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the COVID-19 pandemic presented ongoing challenges for the entire nation, it wreaked unprecedented havoc on communities of color. Despite the turbulence and upheaval, this exploratory study illustrates that first-gen Latinx college students at an HSI in South Texas persevered and even thrived. Undergraduate teacher candidates participated in focus group sessions to examine their lived experiences as online students from March 2020 to August 2021. Their narratives reveal paradoxical perspectives regarding online learning v. face-to-face instruction and the role of family during this era. More than half the participants were also mothers. Their stories of juggling their own classes while simultaneously caring for and managing online learning for their children provide the audience with a glimpse into the complex lifeworlds of the courageous and resilient students. Implications for university faculty and staff who work with Latinx student mothers and first-generation college students are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of a global emergency, Covid-19, forced social work programs to shift to virtual teaching, disrupting students' learning abruptly. Social work students reported negative impacts from the pandemic on academic functioning as well as financial and emotional wellbeing. This study examines the relationships between demographic predictors (age, race, type of social work program, caregiver status, first-generation college student, household size) and challenges (emotional, academic/professional, financial, technological) social work students experienced during the pandemic. Participants included 332 BSW and MSW students from an urban university. Binomial regressions were conducted to determine the significance between student demographics and types of challenges. A Poisson regression was performed to determine the significance between student demographics and the total number of challenges. Students living in larger households, students with greater caregiver demands, BSW students, and students of color reported a greater number of challenges related to juggling school with caregiver demands, job searching, managing finances, food and housing, coping with grief and loss, and feeling disconnected with school (ps <.05). These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature on the impact of COVID-19 by informing ways social work schools can better address students' educational, professional, financial, and emotional wellbeing during times of worldwide crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective: Vaccine hesitancy has increased over the past several years limiting effectiveness. The primary objective of this study was to investigate which dimensions of vaccine hesitancy are most prominent among first generation college students (FGCS), an underexplored group. Secondly, this study explored sociodemographic differences in vaccine hesitancy within this population. Given that FGCS often function as health information gatekeepers for their family, increasing our understanding of these relationships may have far-reaching effects beyond the college setting. Materials and Methods: A sample of n = 339 undergraduate FGCS completed an online survey. Vaccine hesitancy was measured using the Multidimensional Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (MVHS) and sociodemographic variables were collected. Results: Cost, fear of physical pain, and long-term health risks associated with vaccination emerged as the leading factors of vaccine hesitancy for FGCS. Unexpectedly, low frequency social media FGCS reported significantly higher vaccine hesitancy scores compared to high users. Conclusions: Increasing our understanding of vaccine hesitancy will aid public health professionals in developing more efficacious vaccine interventions for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study priorlizes the experiences of first-generation college students (FCCS) to Investigate Transtion Theory’s limitations and understand the complexity of their academic journeys. By integrating Critical Race Theory and Resilience Theory, I seek to offer a deeper insight into the challenges and successes of FGCS. The analysis emphasizes the significance of external influences, personal resilience, and systemic obstacies in shaping the college experience for marginalized students.This research advocates for a holistic support approach to enhance the success and well-being of FGCS in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic presented significant mental health challenges for college students, particularly for students with minoritized identities. The current study used quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how psychological distress and barriers to mental healthcare shifted for first-generation college students (FGCS) as the pandemic affected campuses in Spring 2020. FGCS across three college settings (N = 314) responded to surveys in December 2019 and again following the onset of the pandemic in May/June 2020. A sub-sample of 28 participants also provided in-depth interviews . Results showed an increase in depressive symptoms and perceived stress following the onset of the pandemic, with Latinx and female FGCS reporting greater increases in stress compared to other groups. FGCS were significantly less confident in their knowledge about where to seek mental health support following the onset of the pandemic, and mental healthcare utilization dropped significantly as well. Interviews highlighted specific stressors contributing to mental health, as well as key barriers to mental healthcare that intensified during the pandemic. These findings inform our understanding of the mental health needs of college students with minoritized identities, and have implications for policies and procedures around provision of mental health services on university campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-generation college students (FGCS) experience high rates of attrition compared to continuing generation college students. FGCS frequently identify with several other historically marginalized identities on college campuses. The development of a sense of belonging on-campus is one of the main drivers of retention. The current study examines how sense of belonging on-campus develops during the first-year of college for different FGCS and how attitudes about on-campus relationships evolve over time. Thirteen participants were interviewed at three time points during their first year of college. Grounded theory analysis revealed four themes: 1) higher education provides a cultural learning environment; 2) multiple factors create challenges to relationship building; 3) extreme value differences create hard limits around friendships; and 4) within group friendships provide social and psychological value. Findings extend the current literature on the importance of social belonging for retention of diverse FGCS and highlight the importance of intersectionality in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on social anxiety among college students, in particular, first-generation college students is limited. The purpose of this research study was to fill the gap in the literature, study how social anxiety variables are related, distinguish any differences in social anxiety variables that may exist among first-generation and non-first-generation college students, and indicate any gender differences in social anxiety among first-generation and non-first generation college students. The present research study focused on social anxiety in social situations, social anxiety in performance situations, and social anxiety based on cognition. Analyses indicated that a significant difference (F (3, 119) = 6.27, p < .001) exists among first-generation and non-first-generation college students in terms of social anxiety in social situations, social anxiety based on performance situations and social anxiety based on cognition; first-generation college students reported an increased level of social anxiety. Findings also indicated that social anxiety variables are related to one another. No significant finding was found in terms of gender differences in social anxiety for first-generation (F (3, 62) = .74, p > .005) or non-first-generation college students (F (3, 53) = .87, p > .005). This finding contradicts previous literature that states significant differences exist among genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A deeper understanding of low-income and first-generation college student experiences is essential to advancing diversity and equity in higher education. Due to a significant gap in college enrollment and graduation rates for low-income and first-generation college students, specifically after COVID-19, it is important to identify factors affecting their success. The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Program at New Mexico Tech (NMT) supports high school students who are either first-generation college students and/or from low-income families to prepare them with the skills and motivation necessary to complete high school and enter and succeed in a program of postsecondary education. These students face unique challenges during their time at college. To identify the factors that affect the success of these students, we surveyed several of our UBMS program participants who chose to attend NMT after completing high school. All participants said support from UBMS staff was critical when starting college at NMT. Participants also mention building a support system with their fellow UBMS alumni to deal with the struggles that being at STEM-focused institutions brings. This study also resulted in several suggestions for faculty and staff members to improve academic outcomes for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nontraditional students bring to medicine inherent characteristics and perspectives that enrich the learning environment and contribute to expanding diversity in medicine. However, research has shown that these students, by virtue of their sociodemographic backgrounds, face unique challenges in medical education, which ultimately place them at a disadvantage compared to their peers. The purpose of this study is to explore relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, stress, and academic performance, in the context of outcomes that may be undermining efforts to diversify the physician workforce. Methods: Using a retrospective observational cohort methodology, we examined institutional and USMLE exam performance data in conjunction with Perceived Stress Scale-4 survey results from six cohorts of students at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV (n = 358). Using independent samples t-test, mean stress and academic performance were compared between four sociodemographic groups: first-generation college students, underrepresented in medicine (URM), socioeconomically disadvantaged, and age 30 + at matriculation. Results were considered significant where P ≤.05. Results: First-generation college students had significantly higher stress at the end of third year clerkships (mean 7.8 vs. 6.8, P* =.03). URM students had significantly lower scores on preclinical exams (mean 81.37 vs. 83.07, P* =.02). The students who were age 30 + at matriculation had significantly lower exam scores on all academic performance measures. Conclusion: Our results echo historic trends in academic performance for racial and ethnic minority students, and we present recent evidence of academic performance disparities based on age at matriculation. Residency program directors continue to use test scores as a primary metric to screen applicants and thus, poor academic performance has profound consequences on career trajectory. Finally, significantly higher stress in the first-generation students may be evidence of underlying psychological distress. Expanding the sociodemographic diversity among physicians, and by extension, medical students, has long been recognized as fundamental to addressing inequities in healthcare. However, results from our study suggest that aspects of medical education are unfavorable and disadvantageous for first-generation, URM, and older medical students. A deeper understanding of the interplay between sociodemographic characteristics and success in medical school is paramount as we pursue diversity in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-generation college students" (FGCS) are at risk for suffering from mental health issues, which have direct implication for their retention and academic success. Past investigators consistently find that college students are more likely to discuss mental health issues with their peers than with college personnel. The first step in peer-to-peer mental health support is screening students on campus to gain a baseline understanding of how they respond when encountering a peer in mental distress. The Mental Distress Response Scale (MDRS) is a screening tool for appraising students" responses to a peer in mental distress. Score validation is a crucial step, as FGCS are a unique college student population and the psychometric properties of instrumentation can vary between different populations. Psychometric testing yielded support for the validity of scores on the MDRS with FGCS. Findings have direct implications for aiding student affairs officials" universal screening efforts to support FGCS" mental health and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First generation college students (FGCSs) may undergo challenging cultural transitions as they acculturate to higher education. Such challenges may include perceived loss of home ties, navigating unfamiliar social rules, and academic acculturative stress. The Academic Acculturative Stress Scale (AAS Scale) was designed to measure these experiences of FGCSs. The sample was comprised of undergraduates at a large public university. Items were created and factor analyzed to evaluate content validity. Mean AAS Scale scores were compared using a 2 (FGCS status) X 2 (gender) factorial analysis of variance. Correlations with students' reported social support, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depressive symptomatology evaluated criterion validity. A significant two-way interaction for FGCS status and gender for AASS showed that FGCS women reported doing worse than did non-first-generation students, while FGCS men said they were doing better compared to others. Future research should evaluate support needs of FGCS women for successful degree completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identity of first-generation immigrant groups is a highly complex construct, evolving and changing in response to a host of social, psychological, and contextual factors. This paper explores how first-generation Chinese immigrants from mainland China position and negotiate themself in relation to the perceived sociocultural groups they affiliate with. Drawing on Bucholtz and Hall's (2005) sociocultural linguistic approach to identity and interaction, we address the issues of language use and identity through examining the emergent and spontaneous use of indexical references of self in the interviews with first-generation Australian Chinese immigrants. The findings reveal that the immigrants' senses of self are fluid and dynamic, influenced by their desire of ethnic continuity and personal affectional ties. This points to the usefulness of the discursive approach of indexicality for studying identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A first‐generation college student is typically defined as a student whose biological parent(s) or guardian(s) never attended college or who started but did not finish college. However, "first‐generation" can represent diverse family education situations. The first‐generation student community is a multifaceted, and intersectional group of individuals who frequently lack educational/financial resources to succeed and, consequently, require supportive environments with rigorous mentorship. However, first‐generation students often do not make their identity as first‐generation students known to others due to several psychosocial and academic factors. Therefore, they are often "invisible minorities" in higher education. In this paper, we describe the diverse family situations of first‐generation students, further define "first‐generation," and suggest five actions that first‐generation trainees at the undergraduate/graduate stages can engage in to succeed in an academic climate. We also provide suggestions for mentors to accommodate first‐generation students' unique experiences and equip them with tools to deliver intentional mentoring practices. We hope that this paper will help promote first‐generation student success throughout the academic pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a growing number of Latine students in higher education, we investigated the support and protection mechanisms in place for first-generation Latine/Hispanic college students at large-land grant institutions in the Southeastern region. We used the Psychosociocultural (PSC) framework (Gloria and Rodriguez, 2000) to examine how Latine student experiences are supported at their university in the Nuevo Sur. Specifically, we attend to the different ways students’ educational experiences are shaped by the resources and services provided by their institution. Using a phenomenological approach, we interviewed 10 Latine college students with various perspectives and experiences of their campus climate. Our key findings were: (a) Student Motivation to Persist, (b) Internal Support Network, (c) On- and Off-campus Activities/Events, and (d) Trudging through Intersecting Forces. Our findings reveal significant opportunities to integrate elements of support that students seek from their institution. We also share implications and future directions for educators, administrative leaders, and policymakers to address and provide appropriate support for the increasing Latine college student population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though some frameworks suggest that siblings deplete family resources, alternative conceptualizations suggest that siblings, particularly in working-class and minoritized families, are pivotal sources of educational support that may replenish familial capital. Drawing on 41 in-depth interviews with Latino first-generation college students, this study addresses how siblings negotiate educational support. This study builds and extends prior literature on familial capital by proposing that college attendance generates additional resources that (re)shape family obligations and expectations, a process I refer to as the sibling intragenerational bargain. In negotiating the sibling intragenerational bargain, Latino students seek to (1) contribute to the family's intragenerational mobility by providing educational support and/or (2) repay sibling sacrifices and help with their academic success. Furthermore, birth order and sibling educational attainment shape how students negotiate the sibling intragenerational bargain. This study shows how Latino first-generation siblings (older and younger) are agentic producers of familial capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a first-generation college student (FGCS), I have never felt entirely comfortable with this label, both in academic spaces and in various personal family situations. The notion of being a FGCS has evoked internal embarrassment, a sense of academic otherness, and external micro-aggressions. Through an autoethnographic analysis of my participation in the FGCS annual workshop, I explore the strengths and weaknesses of this category. The workshop provided insights into the diverse experiences of FGCSs, revealing it to be a fluid academic construct with multiple voices and narratives. However, when intersecting with other identities, the fragility of the FGCS category emerged, leading to conflicting conversations and resistance among participants. A rigid definition of FGCS overlooks its historical context of social exclusions and disregards the unique sensitivities and differences among ethnic and national groups within it. This approach weakens the struggle of marginalized groups and perpetuates their exclusion, both on and off campus. Acknowledging the complexity and diversity within the FGCS category can foster a more inclusive environment that respects the unique experiences of each individual. This approach paves the way for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by FGCSs and empowers them to navigate their academic journeys with confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how first-generation (FG) college students make meaning of their social class during their first-year of college. As a method, photovoice allowed for the creation of a rich set of data using student photos and accompanying narratives, through which three key themes were derived: (a) broken American dream, (b) honoring family sacrifices, and (c) lifting generations. This study informs both future practice and research by providing a deep understanding of the intersection of students' individual identities, contexts, and motivations through the lens of the social class worldview model (SCWM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Families continue to play an essential role in the experiences of first-generation Latinx undergraduate students and can serve as powerful partners to support student retention and socioemotional wellbeing. This qualitative phenomenological study uses the notion of emerging adulthood to explore how first-generation Latinx undergraduate students (n = 16) conceptualize their families' role in their college education. Specifically, this study shows that while students describe feeling supported by their families, they also experience distinct and unique tensions tied to this support, which students associate with their first-generation student status. These tensions include (1) the family's unfamiliarity with college culture; (2) bidirectional behaviors of protection from stress and worry; and (3) continued family interactions. These findings, or tensions, are essential to understand and address. Doing so can improve the nature of familial support for first-generation Latinx undergraduate students by leading to better family—student relationships, family—institutional relationships, and student academic and non-academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the lens of a case example, this article examines the impact of an arts-based semesterlong assignment on students enrolled in an undergraduate social work course on gerontology. Part of the City University of New York, Lehman College is a federally designated Hispanic-serving four-year institution serving the Bronx. Many of its students qualify for federal aid and are first-generation college students for whom English is a second language. Residents of the Bronx experience some of the worst social, health, and economic outcomes in the United States. Providing opportunities to challenge the current narrative for some of the city's most under-served members can be transformative on both a personal and social level. Combining creative writing and photography, the assignment required that students picture themselves at age 75, capturing personal, environmental, and social-structural factors affecting life course outcomes. The innovative assignment exceeded pedagogical goals. Students acquired new knowledge and skills, developed new attitudes about advanced age, and discovered new aptitudes and interests that can engender better outcomes for older adults, in general, once students enter gerontology professions, and for themselves as they reach late life. The case example demonstrates how arts-based pedagogy can be transformative on both individual and social levels. In addition to describing the assignment, the article provides a guide for replication. Further, it argues for extending the reach of arts-based pedagogies to promote personal and societal change for some of societies' most vulnerable members, today and tomorrow's older adults living in the Bronx, and other under-served urban communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the special issue's collection of articles, the following commentary examines the racial biases in K-12 and higher education policies and products revealing their seemingly neutral and objective facades to be inherently racialized and, at times, explicitly racist. The article also highlights the damaging effects of race-evasive language in K-12 and higher education, advocating for the prioritization of the most vulnerable students in policy and product design. Rooted in prior research and the author's experiences as a Latina, a first-generation college student, and a former K -12 educator, the article argues for the abolition of harmful practices like corporal punishment and school resource officers. The author suggests that effective policy design for racial justice may require both mainstream and alternative approaches and highlights successful programs like Freedom Schools and ethnic studies programs. Lastly, the article emphasizes the need for educational policies to reflect a deep understanding of systemic racial inequities and for the research community to directly influence policy design towards equity and inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how students from historically marginalized identity groups (i.e., Black and Latinx, females, and first-generation college students) engage momentarily in a school-based task. We explored how John Henryism, defined as effortful, active coping as a response to environmental stress, and growth and fixed mindset mediate the relationship between identity groups and momentary engagement outcomes (i.e., positive/negative emotions and cognitive engagement). Findings from two structural equation models—one including John Henryism as a mediating latent construct and one without—demonstrated that only John Henryism mediated the relationship between historically underrepresented groups and positive momentary engagement (i.e., increased cognitive engagement and positive emotions, while lowering negative emotions) while growth mindset did not. These findings suggest that John Henryism and growth mindset may work together to buffer environmental stressors that affect historically underrepresented students' academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyse the expectations regarding university studies and career choice of first-generation university students and graduates. Our interest in this particular population is due to the fact that they are atypical cases. The theoretical perspective is the relationship with knowledge and dispositionalist and contextualist sociology. The methodology is qualitative and we used in-depth interviews with a sample of 35 students from three degree courses at the National University of La Plata. The families and the school experience were central in the construction of expectations, while the choice of career was defined on the basis of the transit through secondary school, in the university experience itself as well as in other non-school environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized the large-scale, multi-institutional CASSIE dataset to examine the impact of education abroad participation on academic outcomes for first-generation college students. Using robust multivariate matching methodology that effectively minimized self-selection bias, results showed the magnitude of benefit offered by studying abroad was greater for first-generation students than for continuing-generation students. Even after matching on a variety of background and prior achievement variables, first-generation students who studied abroad had higher 4- and 6-year graduation rates, had higher cumulative GPA scores, and took less time to graduate—relative to first-generation students who did not study abroad. These findings suggest that education abroad programming can be leveraged as a high-impact educational practice to promote college completion rates among first-generation students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there has been increased investigation of the enrollment patterns and access to college for first-generation college students (FGCS), less is understood about how FGCS learn and utilize vital information to persist with limited familial knowledge about college success. In this paper we utilize focus group data of 62 diverse FGCS to create a typology of how students utilize information to succeed in college. Using theory from sociology and information sciences we categorize the sources FGCS learn from and how information is utilized. Our findings indicate that FGCS develop complex ways of finding information even with minimal support and those information sources that are most helpful are often connected to pre-existing and informal relationships. We conclude by offering implications for future research on FGCS student success and opportunities for administrators to incorporate information-finding and relationship-building concepts into student success practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2020, the higher-education community faced one of its largest disruptions to date with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing campuses to close their doors to thousands of students. The university-wide closures prompted a collaboration between researchers and college administrators to assess the impact of COVID-19 on First-Generation College Students (FGCS). The team surveyed 659 FGCS across five U.S. universities to assess the ways in which the pandemic exacerbated already existing inequalities students faced in their persistence to graduate from college. The team used the social cognitive career theory as a conceptual framework for analysis. Our findings revealed that when respondents compared their life before COVID-19 with their present state, FGCS were less likely to perceive they had enough money to return to college, felt overwhelmed and lonely by added stress, and were more likely to see an increase in family responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-generation college students (FGCS), nearly 50% of which identify as Hispanic, are an underserved population. The psychosociocultural theoretical framework posits that individual, environmental, and cultural factors contribute to the academic success of Hispanic students. This study examined the relationship between these factors (i.e., demographics, academic self-efficacy, meeting with professors, and attending cultural programming) to 6-year bachelor's degree attainment and time to bachelor's degree attainment among Hispanic students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (n = 358). Being better prepared academically, being female, and having greater academic self-efficacy were positively related to bachelor's degree attainment; FGCS status was negatively related. Among students who graduated (n = 208), entering college being better prepared academically, and having greater academic self-efficacy were related to quicker bachelor's degree attainment; FGCS status was not significantly related. Practitioners may pay more attention to Hispanic students' academic self-efficacy and the success of Hispanic male students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colleges around the country have adopted technology tools to simplify planning and registration processes and provide interventions to support students’ timely completion. However, there is little evidence of these tools’ efficacy in improving student progression and completion (c.f., Rossman et al., 2021; Velasco et al., 2020). The minimal impact of advising and planning technologies on student success is amplified among institutions supporting the students who make up the new majority of postsecondary learners—those who are Black, Latine, Indigenous, and/or low-income (BLI/LI). One possible reason for this is that such tools were not designed with the needs of this population in mind. Using process map and focus group data from students at two broad-access universities, coupled with interview data from institutional stakeholders, this study interrogates the ways that BLI/LI students engage in academic planning. We find that this process is more cognitively complex and nuanced than is typically acknowledged; program planning tools do not include the information BLI/LI students require; and low-income college students are particularly disadvantaged by these tools. As such, we find support for the hypothesis that current tools’ efficacy is muted because they do not center the needs of BLI/LI students in their design.

Developing academic writers must continually position themselves discursively as they negotiate institutional, programmatic, and disciplinary contexts. The inextricable relationship of writing and identities raises questions of access to social identities in schools, a particularly salient issue when considering the complexities and challenges of the high school to college transition for students from historically marginalized groups. This study focuses on Jain, a first-generation Latino college student, as he positions himself as a writer over 18 months in response to a range of school-based writing tasks. My analysis finds that Jain's identity negotiations are influenced by a history of social positioning in schools, as his stance-making patterns and sense of self as a writer reflect resources and opportunities he encounters. This study adds to research demonstrating the role teachers and institutions can play in (in)validating certain aspects of students' identities and influencing belonging in school spaces, indicating a need for educators and researchers across K-12 and college contexts to continue to challenge the standardization of school writing and the prevalence of assessments that limit curricula and constrain identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centered in critical race theory (Latcrit) and conceptualization of community cultural wealth, this study explores first-generation Latina/o/x students' motivations to attend college and persist to degree completion. Additionally, this study examines the overlapping forms of cultural wealth that participants access throughout their educational journeys, with particular focus on the overlap of resistance, familial, and aspirational capital. Finally, this project examines how citizenship status impacts participants' motivations and cultural wealth. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews of 14 California university or community college students who self-identified as Latina/o/x. Findings indicate that participants' motivations are deeply connected to familial relationships that also lead to broader understandings of social inequity and injustice. Specifically, participants situate their motivations to attend college within personal aspiration, and familial ties, but also resistance to dominant cultural stereotypes and systemic gender, race, and class oppression. Additionally, findings indicate that citizenship status impacts how students articulate broader social inequities, but that participants, regardless of citizenship status, utilize resistance capital to persist toward degree completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying as an engineer is essential for belonging and student success, yet the social context and professional norms make it more difficult for some students to establish an identity as an engineer. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study investigated whether first‐generation college students' funds of knowledge supported their engineering role identity. Design/Methods: Data came from a survey administered across the United States western, southern, and mountain regions in the fall semester of 2018. Only the sample of students who indicated they were the first in their families to attend college was used in the analysis (n = 378). Structural equation modeling was used to understand how first‐generation college students' funds of knowledge supported their engineering role identity; measurement invariance was examined to ensure that the model was valid for women and men alike. Results: First‐generation college students' funds of knowledge individually supported the components of the engineering role identity development process. Tinkering knowledge from home and perspective‐taking helped inform interest and performance/competence beliefs. First‐generation college students' bids for external recognition were supported through their mediational skills, their connecting experiences, and their local network of college friends. The bundle of advice, resources, and emotional support from family members was the only fund of knowledge that directly supported students' perceptions of themselves as engineers. Conclusions: The relationships we established between first‐generation college students' funds of knowledge and emerging engineering role identities call for engineering educators to integrate students' funds of knowledge into engineering learning and to broaden disciplinary norms of what counts as engineering‐relevant knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the situated expectancy-value, dimensional comparison theories, and the intersectionality approach, this article examined the changes in adolescents' math and science motivational beliefs, the parental and college correlates of those beliefs, and the differences at the intersection of gender and college generation status (i.e., female and male first- and continuing-generation college students). Findings based on the nationally representative high-school longitudinal study data (N = 12,070; Mage = 14 years; 54% female students; 28% first-generation college students; and 14% Latinx, 9% Black, 10% Asian, and 57% White) suggest that although adolescents' math and science ability self-concepts declined during high school, their science interest remained stable, and their math and science utility values increased. Adolescents' motivational beliefs in ninth grade and the changes from ninth to 11th grade positively predicted whether they declared a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college major. Parents' ninth-grade STEM support was more consistently associated with adolescents' concurrent beliefs compared to the changes in their beliefs. Finally, we found that female first-generation college students, who were more likely to be Latinx and Black students, tended to have lower math and science motivational beliefs, received less parental STEM support, and were less likely to choose a STEM major than their peers. The findings of this study indicate adolescents' math and science motivational development in high school matters for their college majors and that certain understudied groups, including female first-generation college students, may experience acute marginalization in STEM and warrant further attention. Public Significance Statement: This article examined the changes in adolescents' math and science motivational beliefs and their correlation with parental support and subsequent science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major choices. Our findings have direct implications for policy, practice, and interventions that seek to increase the long-term pursuit of careers in STEM to focus on boosting the development of adolescents' math and science motivational beliefs during high school as well as parental STEM support. This article draws attention to a marginalized but understudied group in STEM, namely female first-generation college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many educators strive to create inclusive classrooms where students receive not only knowledge but also empathy from their instructors. When students face unexpected challenges due to illness, academic pressure, or exhaustion, they often seek extensions on assignments. Instructors insert their own biases when they decide who is eligible for an extension. An explicitly communicated penalty-free extension system can eliminate this bias, create an inclusive learning environment, and disinter extension requests from the hidden curriculum. Students used an "extension without penalty" system (EWP) in a large introductory biology course. Mid-semester qualitative data collection helped design an end-of-the-semester quantitative survey about students' perceived benefits. Assignment submission data, EWP use frequency and grades were directly extracted from the learning management system. Students preferred a two-tier extension system with ideal and extension due dates. The EWP system was used by 78% of the students, but half of them only used it once. Students reported benefits in stress reduction, handling of sickness and emergencies, and improved performance in other courses. Exploratory results indicate there were additional benefits in some areas for first-generation college students. Using the extension due dates did not impact student grades. This study uses evidence to debunk common misconceptions about assignment extensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First‐generation college students (FGCSs) are a growing population in undergraduate education. Research on FGCS primarily focuses on the challenges and barriers they encounter in college. While important, this literature offers a limited view of FGCS as learners. Moreover, minimal literature has examined these students' lived experiences within sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study explores the learning experiences of FGCS (N = 17) in undergraduate STEM programs at a mid‐sized, private, predominantly white institution. Guided by the frameworks of intersectionality and social cognitive career theory, the researchers utilized a qualitative, phenomenological research methodology to hear the perspectives of FGCS to and to identify problematic higher educational structures in STEM. Findings point to an elitist stance underlying STEM programs based in general disciplinary norms that restricted FGCS access to STEM majors and careers across social, academic, and professional elements of the academic experience. FGCS who were multiply minoritized based upon race, gender, and social class experienced the compounding of marginalization, and academic success and persistence came at a personal cost. Students also reported relying predominantly on personal strengths and motivations to overcome elitism in STEM rather than on institutional supports. Findings also highlight the variation in the first‐generation experience and identify the unique barriers FGCS encounter within STEM fields. Implications for dismantling inequitable structures for higher education in STEM attending to the social, academic, and professional inclusion of FGCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a pop-up event at the UW Bothell and Cascadia College Campus Library, celebrating First Generation College students. Topics include the purpose of the event, the involvement of the library staff in planning and organizing it, the activities and displays featured during the event, and the impact it had on student engagement and community building.

This study focuses on how first-generation college students understand their first-generation identity in relation to their other multiple identities. Through photovoice methodology, students demonstrate the meaning making of being first-generation college students related to their other social identities. This study discusses four themes: (a) centrality of race and ethnicity, (b) rootedness, (c) grounding in community, and (d) negotiating multiple identities. This study discusses future implications for how practice and research should consider the first-generation identity alongside other social identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has documented the psychological, social, and academic predicament of first-generation college students. However, basic psychological mechanisms underlying the challenges experienced by these students have been understudied. Taking a cultural psychology perspective, the present research considers the role of emotional (mis)match as a key mechanism for explaining first-generation students' lowered well-being. A sample of 344 American undergraduate students completed a survey designed to measure two aspects of emotional processing: (1) Emotional Accuracy -- how accurately students perceive emotional reactions of majority-culture students (continuinggeneration junior and senior students who have been socialized into college culture), and (2) Emotional Similarity --how similar students' emotions are to the emotions experienced by majority-culture students. Emotional Accuracy predicted positive outcomes, in general, but was lower among firstgeneration students. Unexpectedly, Emotional Similarity predicted negative student outcomes. As one of the first studies addressing basic psychological mechanisms in college adjustment, these findings underscore the importance of understanding the roles that specific emotional processes play in social adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many companies use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen job applicants. With more colleges also adopting AI programs to provide feedback on job seekers’ applications, will students be receptive to using these tools? This research shows certain key factors – perceptions of AI program effectiveness and enjoyability, higher networking anxiety, and being a first-generation college student – predict increased interest in using AI programs for career preparation purposes. Additional qualitative analyses also reveal why certain subsets of students have negative attitudes toward such programs. Recommendations for colleges offering AI tools and discussion of ideas for further research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Real Outreach: A Practical Guide to Retaining and Graduating College Students" by Dr. Ezella McPherson is a book that provides actionable steps and clear expectations for achieving student retention in higher education. The author emphasizes the importance of cross-collaboration between departments to create a holistic approach to support, as student experiences and identities vary. The book explores various roles in academia, such as academic advisors, academic success coaches, and mentors, and highlights the significance of student organizations, student employment, technology access, and real outreach strategies. The author's personal experiences as a first-generation college student and higher education professional inform the insights and recommendations in the book. Overall, the book offers valuable guidance for higher education professionals and can also be used by students to facilitate their own success in college. [Extracted from the article]

Non-parent mentoring relationships are important protective factors for first-generation college students. Previous research has focused on singular mentoring relationships measured at one time point, failing to capture the breadth and dynamic nature of social networks. The current study is a longitudinal investigation of first-generation students' mentoring networks during their transition to college at a four-year, predominantly minority-serving commuter university. At the beginning and end of their first year, students (N = 176) responded to online surveys on their mentoring relationship(s), attitudes toward help-seeking, and college experiences. Cumulative support from pre-college mentoring relationships retained across the first year was positively associated with self-efficacy. Support from newly acquired mentoring relationships was positively associated with psychological sense of school membership. Network orientation was positively associated with self-efficacy and sense of school membership. These findings highlight the importance of diverse mentoring networks and demonstrate the utility of collecting longitudinal data on multiple mentoring relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]