{"id":8854,"date":"2020-07-01T15:17:29","date_gmt":"2020-07-01T19:17:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/2020\/07\/10\/committed-to-first-generation-college-students\/"},"modified":"2022-11-06T19:29:45","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T00:29:45","slug":"committed-to-first-generation-college-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/committed-to-first-generation-college-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Committed to First-Generation College Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Furman was elected to join NASPA\u2019s Center for First-generation Student Success\u2019 inaugural cohort of First Scholars Network institutions for advancing the outcomes of first-generation students through improving both first-generation student success initiatives and institution-wide approaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to join the First Scholars initiative because this recognition not only affirms the work the university has embarked upon to date in relation to first-generation student success but also opens up opportunities for data-sharing, programmatic collaboration and research initiatives to improve the national landscape of first-generation student access, retention and graduation,\u201d said Neil Jamerson, assistant vice president for student development.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst-generation students possess the academic acumen and individual talents necessary to improve our campuses; every effort should be made to remove institutional barriers that intentionally or unintentionally impede their progress toward graduation.”<\/p>\n

Furman University joins 31 institutions in building upon already successful programmatic elements for broad scaling while creating systemic cultural shifts that address first-generation student success with intentionality. First Scholars aligns clearly defined, measurable goals with institutional data to identify gaps, track progress, and create systems allowing leadership to make informed choices resulting in improved student outcomes, strengthened enrollment management, collaborative programming and preservation of resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe landscape of first-generation student initiatives is continually shifting alongside the ever-changing needs of our communities, nation and global society,” said Sarah E. Whitley, senior director of the Center for First-generation Student Success. “As part of the First Scholars Network, Furman University will become a key partner in driving systemic change and looking to the future of first-generation student success.”<\/p>\n

Furman has accelerated its efforts to drive change on its campus over the past few years. The process began with an analysis of institutional data to identify barriers to student success. From that analysis flowed a number of initiatives and interventions to support our first-generation students. Communications around financial aid improved. Orientation offerings for students and their families were reimagined, and campus celebrations were organized for incoming first-gen students as well as first-gen graduating seniors.<\/p>\n

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The Center for Inclusive Communities provided these shirts to faculty and staff who were first-generation college graduates themselves (defined as those in which neither parent earned a four-year degree) and those who are not first-gen but still wanted to show their support. They were encouraged to wear their shirts on the first Friday of each month last fall.<\/p><\/div>\n

Furman created campaigns to increase the visibility of faculty and staff who were first-generation graduates, and faculty gained more opportunities to learn how to incorporate inclusive approaches into mentoring, advising and teaching.\u00a0Practical application of scholarly research on first-generation student success from Stanford and Northwestern was introduced into the Pathways curriculum. And, most recently, the First Generation Student Alliance was formed for peer-led initiatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cNationally, roughly 60% of colleges collect information on whether students are first-generation, only 40% develop first-generation specific programs based on that data, and only 20% share the information with the faculty advisor,\u201d Jamerson said. \u201cAt Furman we\u2019re doing all three, and our graduation rate is three times the national average.\u201d<\/p>\n

First Scholars institutions will partner with the Center for a two-year experience that will provide:<\/p>\n