For decades science educators and instructors focused on students' ability to memorize, retain, and recall scientific information precisely. Today's generation of educators emphasizes the educational environments that encourage academic and emotional learning of students that lead to greater academic success. Literature on education and…

The current study investigated the value of faculty mentoring among first-generation college students (FGCS). We examined mentored FGCS in general, and, more specifically, the impact of levels of quality of faculty mentoring on ratings of life purpose, perceived well-being, and perceived well-being subscales. We hypothesized that faculty-mentored…

One challenge sociology departments face is conveying to undergraduates the relevance of a sociology degree for future careers. This challenge is more notable for first-generation and working-class students who research shows have more limited access to mentors. Here we present a department-level mentoring initiative designed to address systemic…

The dominant literature surrounding first-generation college students (FGCS) suggests that because neither of their parents obtained a four-year college degree, these students begin college at a deficit, ignoring the many familial resources students bring with them to college. FGCS succeed because of their families, not despite them (Gofen, 2009)…

Objectives: Depression and anxiety contribute to the burden of disease among college students. The current study determined if depressive and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent in first generation students and if social and emotional support moderated this relationship. Methods: Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured in 432 U.S. college…

The path to a postsecondary education is often constrained by barriers that are systemic and debilitating for Black and Latino males who are low-income and the first in their families to attend college. Barriers such as poverty and lack of access to quality educational resources often have adverse effects on their postsecondary pursuits. These…

This essay utilizes critical race theory composite counterstorytelling to tell a story about Alberto, a first-generation Xicano doctoral student who is presenting his dissertation research proposal to his qualitative research class. Through Alberto's character, I discuss my complicated process of designing and conducting a research study.…

Centered in critical race theory (Latcrit) and conceptualization of community cultural wealth, this study explores first-generation Latina/o/x students' motivations to attend college and persist to degree completion. Additionally, this study examines the overlapping forms of cultural wealth that participants access throughout their educational…

Drawing from a 5-year mixed methods study of the Thompson Scholar Learning Community (TSLC), we discuss how holistic, proactive, strengthens-oriented, identity conscious, collaborative and reflective norms create a culture of ecological validation wherein at-promise students can experience college success. These norms were then operationalized…

The problem is that Black males in higher education have declining retention and graduation rates compared to other ethnic groups. Over the past two decades, Black males have declined in enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. Colleges and universities have struggled to attract, keep, and graduate Black male students, especially during the…

Freshman seminar courses aim to address dropout rates, college achievement, increase persistence rates, and student adjustment in approximately 94% of colleges and universities in America. First-generation college students make up nearly a third of higher education students and are likelier to drop out of college within the first 2-years of…

This study puts forth the counternarrative of the first author Gislaine, a first-generation undergraduate student, Latina, and computer science major. Gislaine participated in a research internship and STEM mentorship program led by the second author, Meredith. Through this program, Gislaine designed and taught CS lessons to predominantly…

First generation college students (FGCSs) may undergo challenging cultural transitions as they acculturate to higher education. Such challenges may include perceived loss of home ties, navigating unfamiliar social rules, and academic acculturative stress. The Academic Acculturative Stress Scale (AAS Scale) was designed to measure these experiences…

Research underscores the 'gender reversal' in college enrolment and educational attainment that appears to favour women today. However, less is known about how Latinas navigate doctoral study demands and gendered cultural expectations within their ethnicity. We use Chicana/Latina Feminist Theory to explore how the ethnic cultural script of…

Undermatching continues to create barriers to access to post-secondary opportunities for low-income students from urban public high schools. According to Belasco and Trivette (2015), postsecondary undermatch occurs when students fail to enroll at a college or university that possesses a level of selectivity their academic credentials would permit…