Celebrating First-Gen Students: What Comes Next Matters
Celebrating the connections, friendships, and sense of belonging that enrich the college experience for first-generation students.
“My inner motivation and lack of self-doubt drive me.”
These words from a first-year, first-generation college student reflect the determination and sense of purpose that many students bring to their educational journeys. The student, who participated in a qualitative research study, also spoke about graduating and the responsibility they felt as the eldest sibling.
As we recognize National First-Generation College Celebration Day, observed annually on November 8, an annual initiative led by FirstGen Forward and the Council for Opportunity in Education, we celebrate the achievements, contributions, and aspirations of students who are among the first in their families to pursue a college degree.
First-generation students bring ambition, resourcefulness, leadership, and valuable knowledge from their families and communities. Their accomplishments deserve recognition, and their experiences offer important insights into how colleges and universities can better support their continued success.
College access matters. So does the support that follows.
What Students Tell Us About College Success
In a qualitative study involving 20 first-year, first-generation college students at a private Midwestern university, Dr. Sherell Wilson, founder of Beyond College Access®, explored how students navigated academic decisions, friendships, career aspirations, and relationships during their transition to college.
Her published research, Unmet Psychosocial Needs Among First-Year, First-Generation Collegegoers: Insights and Implications Using Chickering's Theory, examines students' experiences and offers insights into the relationships and institutional practices that can support their development and success.
Students described the value of encouragement, supportive relationships, accessible guidance, and meaningful connections between their academic experiences and future goals.
One participant shared:
“My teachers always encourage me to do better, and their words make me believe that I can do this.”
This reflection illustrates how encouragement from educators can strengthen students' confidence as they navigate new academic environments.
Although the study focused on students at one institution, their experiences raise important questions for colleges and universities seeking to strengthen student success.
Strengthening the Support That Follows Access
Research and student experiences highlight opportunities for institutions to build on the strengths first-generation students already bring to college.
Five areas deserve particular attention:
1. Clear Academic Pathways
Students benefit from understanding how academic requirements, course selections, and major decisions connect to their educational and career goals. Clear pathways and accessible information can help students make informed decisions as their interests evolve.
2. Proactive Advising and Coordinated Support
Advising should extend beyond responding to problems. Regular outreach, coordinated services, and timely guidance can help students navigate decisions and connect with resources before challenges become barriers.
3. Financial Stability and Basic-Needs Support
Financial concerns can influence students' ability to remain engaged and progress toward graduation. Institutions can strengthen support by making financial aid information understandable, connecting students with available resources, and responding to changing circumstances.
4. Supportive Relationships and Belonging
Faculty, advisors, mentors, peers, and campus communities all contribute to students' experiences. Consistent encouragement and meaningful relationships can help students feel connected, supported, and confident in their ability to succeed.
5. Early Career Exploration
Students benefit from opportunities to connect academic experiences with future possibilities. Career conversations, experiential learning, mentoring, and exposure to professional pathways can help students make informed choices and envision what comes next.
These areas are not isolated services. Together, they represent opportunities to create a more connected and responsive student experience.
From Celebration to Continued Success
National First-Generation College Celebration Day provides an opportunity to recognize students' achievements while reflecting on how institutions can strengthen the experiences that follow enrollment.
One question deserves continued attention:
Are we designing support around what we assume students need, or what students actually experience?
Listening to students, examining institutional practices, and using evidence to guide improvements can help colleges and universities build environments where students' strengths are recognized and their success is supported.
At Beyond College Access®, this commitment is reflected in work with education and nonprofit organizations to assess needs, equip people, and improve programs and systems that support student success.
Celebrating first-generation students is important. Ensuring that institutions continue to respond to their experiences and aspirations is equally important.
Celebrate their achievements. Strengthen what comes next.
About Beyond College Access®
Beyond College Access® partners with education and nonprofit organizations to strengthen student success through assessment, capacity building, and continuous improvement.
Learn more: beyondcollegeaccess.com