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The Struggle is Real: A look at how first generation students overcome barriers to success

The Struggle is Real: A look at how first generation students overcome barriers to success. Conference Theme: Cultivating Thriving Communities. Presenters Nigel Stephenson, Recruiter SWTCC Shenay Nolan, Recruiter SWTCC

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The Struggle is Real: A look at how first generation students overcome barriers to success

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  1. The Struggle is Real: A look at how first generation students overcome barriers to success Conference Theme: Cultivating Thriving Communities Presenters Nigel Stephenson, Recruiter SWTCC Shenay Nolan, Recruiter SWTCC Jivanta Farmer, Program Specialist- Retention & Student Success, SWTCC

  2. Learning Outcomes • Inform colleagues on how to better assist first-generation students • Enlighten colleagues about the special needs of first-generation students • Improve retention and graduation rates through recognizing barriers and offering support resources

  3. What is a First-Generation Student? https://youtu.be/JvGLJfPV3-c

  4. Getting Students into College Demographics of First Generation College Students • Non-traditional • Low Income • Single-parent or from a single-parent household

  5. Inspiring Students to go to College • Provide advice about Post-Secondary Education - TN Promise (Scholarship Opportunities) • Offer Support • Statistics on Post-Secondary Education - 99% Job placement rate • Mentor students • Upward Bound

  6. It takes a village- Recruitment and Enrollment • Guidance counselors • Church • Community • Family & Friends

  7. Barriers associated with enrolling First-Generation Students - • Lack of: -Parental Involvement and Support -Financial Support -Knowledge about Post-Secondary Opportunities -Motivation -Transportation - Preparation for college academically (remedial)

  8. Activity • COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROS AND CONS Directions: After learning about community colleges, create a Pro and Con list for attending a community college. For each section, be sure to have at least three items for consideration. • Write a short reflection that demonstrates your personal belief about attending a Community College: ________________________________________________________________________________

  9. Keeping First Generation Students in College Activity: Think- Pair- Share Think: Directions: When thinking about first generation college students, should we treat them all with equality or equity? What may cause us to lean more toward equality or equity? Think back to the video at the beginning of this presentation or use the picture below to help you justify your reasoning. (30 seconds) Pair- to the person next to you to talk about your reasoning ( 1 minute) Share out (3 minutes):

  10. It Takes a Village- Retention & Success Bronfenbrenner’s Developmental Ecology Theory Who is the village? How does the village cultivate a thriving community? • The village must recognize and be cognizant of the barriers students face. This creates a student centered environment. • We are all connected for the sake of the student. We are not on an island working by ourselves. • When we work together, we thrive. The students are then equipped to move on to their next stages in life.

  11. What makes a thriving community? The Benefit of Educating First- Generation Students What is cultural capital as it relates to first- generation students? • Cultural capital is how your way of life prepares you for your future in a diversified environment. • Family values are important for most students that come from first-generation homes. • The struggles first generation students may face include: • Having food on the table - Making money to help pay bills • Taking care of younger siblings - Neglecting family to have better for self • How can Student Affairs Professionals assist (SAP)?

  12. What makes a thriving community? The Benefit of Educating First- Generation Students First generation students will be able to: • Show their siblings a different way of life • Struggle: Do not want to show that their parent’s way is necessarily wrong, but want to expose them to a different lifestyle. (Nicer homes, nicer cars, healthcare, travel, etc.) • How can (SAP) assist?: Mention study abroad and internship opportunities students. • Help close achievement gaps and erase stereotypes surrounding their race and origin. • Struggle: Students do not know what they do not know. Additionally, some educators “gatekeep” due to stereotypes and incorrect data surrounding race, gender, etc. • SAP assistance: Continue to educate ourselves about diversity by reading and being open-minded to different cultures. That way we learn what real struggles students have based on their culture and not their stereotypes. Educating a Diverse Nation: Lessons from Minority Serving Institutions by Clifton Conrad and Marybeth Gasman.

  13. What makes a thriving community? The Benefit of Educating First- Generation Students First generation students will be able to: • Take resources back to their family and community • Struggle: Exposure to different co-curricular events may put some first generation students in positions to where they feel uncomfortable. (Banquets, classroom composition, comparison with materialistic possessions of other students. • SAP assistance: Provide programming for these students such as etiquette dinners to teach them the context of what is going on in these settings. Once students learn these concepts they can take them back to their community. • Additional resources to take back to their families and communities: • Family: summer camp opportunities from their current school, tutoring resources, etc. • Community: Make a difference in their community with their education and create chances for upward career mobility

  14. Questions or Comments?

  15. Bibliography Conrad, C., & Gasman, M. (2015). Educating a diverse nation: lessons from minority-serving institutions. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Everett, Julia (2015). Public Community Colleges: creating access and opportunities for first-generation college students. College Student Journal Kruvelis, M., Cruse, L. R., & Gault, B. (Eds.). (2017, September 20). Single Mothers in College: Growing Enrollment, Financial Challenges, and the Benefits of Attainment. Retrieved from https://iwpr.org/publications/single-mothers-college-growing-enrollment-financial-challenges-benefits-attainment/ Matthys. M. (2013). Cultural capital, identity and social Mobility: The life course of working- class graduates. New York, NY: Routledge. Shepler , Dustin K. & Woosley, Sherry A. (2011). Understanding the early integration experiences of first-generation students. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin. Sillers, A. (2015, April 06). Report finds 44 percent of U.S. children live in low-income families. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/nccp-finds-44-percent-u-s-children-live-low-income-families

  16. Thank You! Jivanta Farmer Program Specialist, Retention & Student Success jfarmer11@southwest.tn.edu or 901.333.5013 Shenay Nolan Recruiter, snolan@southwest.tn.edu or 901.333.5581 Nigel Stephenson Recruiter, nstephen@southwest.tn.edu or 901.333.4298

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