Im first: building a pathway to thriving for first-generation college students

Abstract

Background: An increasing amount of first-generation college students (FGCS) are continuing to enter colleges and universities each year. This population of students has traditionally been excluded from the higher education landscape for decades. There are now more programs and initiatives geared at granting access to FGCS and a growing number of efforts to retain these students. There is a gap in research that focuses on building intervention and retention programs that focus on strengths-based interventions. Instead, there is an overwhelming amount of research that focuses on the deficits FGCS are said to possess which are in turn being used to develop programs to assist the students. There must be an effort to shift from building programs that focus on deficits to strengths. Institutions should invest in promoting thriving and the overall well-being of FGCS.^^Methods and Procedures: The Thriving Quotient assessment was administered to FGCS at the research site whose mother or father did not graduate from a four-year institution. This assessment measured students ability to thrive based on the five factors assessed by the instrument: social connectedness, engaged learning, diverse citizenship, academic determination, and positive perspective. The study also measured the differences in thriving between students associated with a retention-based support program and those students not affiliated with one. The participants then participated in focus groups and interviews to gain a deeper understanding of what influences a FGCS ability to thrive. Results: FGCS have the ability to thrive based on the assessment. There was a significant difference between the ability of these FGCS thriving compared to the national norm in three areas: engaged learning, academic determination, and diverse citizenship.^^As it pertains to students in a support group, t-test results revealed that they are thriving at a higher rate than their FGCS counterparts not associated with a support group. Other influencers of FGCS ability to thrive included psychological sense of community and institutional integrity, amongst others. Conclusion: FGCS possess the skills needed to thrive. There are certain resources and needs the students have that institutions can focus on implementing within their programs and efforts to retain these students. FGCS have a story of triumph and perseverance that deserves a chance to be heard. These students work to navigate a system that was not built for their success. Institutions must take into account the flaws of the system in order to better support the overall well-being and success of FGCS.