Chicana/Latina undergraduate students represent a significant and growing proportion of student enrollment in higher education institutions in the United States, particularly in states like California that have critical masses of Chicanx/Latinx communities. Despite their increasing enrollment rates, Chicana/Latina college students continue to…

This phenomenological research study investigated how participation in the Educational Opportunity Fund summer bridge program shaped first generation low-income students' learner identity as they entered college. Learner identity is generally defined as a learner's personally and socially constructed roles that influence his or her capacity,…

First-generation college students (FGCS) experience a myriad of unique challenges when starting their university education, including perceiving themselves as being socially isolated on campus (Markowitz, 2016; Nazione et al., 2011; Wilkins, 2014), experiencing guilt as they leave behind academically family and friends (Banks-Santilli, 2015; Orbe,…

Universities nationwide have sought ways to support the retention of students on their campuses, particularly first-generation students. One such method is through summer bridge programs designed to offer academic and social support to new incoming students in the months before their first year begins. Christian institutions' faith-based mission…

College retention is a topic of concern for many leaders of post-secondary institutions. This study explores the multifaceted elements of a summer bridge program aimed at bolstering college retention for minority first-generation students through a combination of mentorship, academic support, and community-building initiatives. The purpose of the…

First-generation, minority, undergraduate students experiencing the imposter phenomenon need more support programs in their transition to higher education. This study focused on examining how students experience the imposter phenomenon and also identifying the additional strategies and support that those in academic advising offices can implement.…

Systemic inequalities in higher education have contributed to lower retention and completion rates among low-income, first generation, and racially/ethnically minoritized students, who we refer to as "at-promise" students. In response, educators have implemented comprehensive college transition programs that offer students holistic…

Through this research I explored the challenges faced by first-generation and low-income students during their transition to higher education, focusing on the role of pre-college programs like TRIO. The study aims to identify barriers to college accessibility and success for these underrepresented students and assess the effectiveness of TRIO…

This 5-year, longitudinal, multimethod qualitative case study draws on data from the Promoting At-Promise Student Success (PASS) project examining a comprehensive college transition and success program called Thompson Scholars Learning Community (TSLC) that serves low-income college students, many of whom are first-generation and racially…

First-generation college students face unique challenges in higher education compared to students whose parents are college graduates. These students tend to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and face difficulty enrolling and persisting in higher education (Horn, 1998; Ishitani, 2003; Latino et al., 2018; Nunez & Cuccaro-Alamin, 1998;…

In examining twenty-two summer bridge program websites across the country, this study focused on a particular type of student support at one of the most historically-contentious positions in a college student's trajectory--the point of access. Diverse student populations bring specific strengths, resources, skills, and knowledge, or "funds of…

In 2015, the University of Southern California (USC) began a longitudinal, mixed-methods evaluation of the Thompson Scholars Learning Communities (TSLC), a comprehensive college transition program that provides students with multiple, integrated types of support. The evaluation as a whole examined whether, how, and why TSLC, as implemented at the…

Students from underrepresented groups who seek to become the first in their family to attend college confront economically and racially stratified education systems. This article reports findings from an evaluation of First Graduate, an organization that offers college advising, mentoring, tutoring, and case management to first-generation students…

This study proposed to describe and understand the transition experiences of first-generation college students in comparison to second-generation college students by examining the frequency of activities linked to the transition process and the helpfulness of these behaviors for students at a medium-size state university in the Southeast. Parents,…

This paper explores issues surrounding the interplay of college preparation, financial assistance, cultural norms, and transition to college for Appalachian first-generation college students from low-income rural families. The Robinson Scholars Program aims to significantly improve the college-going rate in 29 counties in eastern Kentucky. The…