In March 2020, the higher-education community faced one of its largest disruptions to date with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing campuses to close their doors to thousands of students. The university-wide closures prompted a collaboration between researchers and college administrators to assess the impact of COVID-19 on First-Generation College…

This qualitative study explores the unique challenges faced by first-generation college students (FGCS) within a sport management program at a Midwestern university. Drawing from interviews with ten FGCS, this research delves into the academic, social, and career-related obstacles these students encounter over time within the program. Prior…

The researcher used qualitative phenomenology to study the perception of first-generation college students who have successfully persisted at an HBCU. The researcher sought to determine whether first-generation students who persist in college perceive parental involvement to be a contributing factor. Today, over 37% of students enrolled in…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) remain essential within the higher education landscape, serving as means for academic excellence and cultural empowerment. Despite unremitting challenges such as limited funding and enrollment fluctuations, HBCUs continue to provide transformative educational experiences that nurture both…

This study investigates the relationship between academic identity statuses and academic achievement at a U.S. northeastern college where 55% of the population is first-generation students. Using Was and Isaacson's (2008) Academic Identity Measure, I assessed four identity statuses (achieved, foreclosed, diffused, and moratorium) among 424…

To explore the ways in which the learning and understanding of diversity course subject matter happen, this manuscript interviews and observed the experiences of 10 first-generation college students of color and their teachers from two diversity courses. Findings show that participants drew from their classmates' prior knowledge and experiences to…

A strong sense of belonging is positively related to students' emotional wellbeing, academic motivation, and success in higher education (HE). The research on which this paper is based was conducted in an ancient Scottish university and used a mixed methods approach including analysis of administrative data, a survey and case studies of commuter…

Our educational system must constantly change and evolve to fully equip our students with the support and resources needed to succeed. However, the needs of first-generation students--students who desire to go to college but whose parents did not attend--are oftentimes not considered as part of these educational changes. These students encounter…

The research problem it is not known if and to what extent the difference exists in self-efficacy and self-reported academic performance for first-generation college students and continuing-generation college students in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study is to determine if and to what extent the difference…

Can public university Honors programs deliver the benefits of selective undergraduate education within otherwise nonselective institutions? We evaluate the impact of admission to the Honors College at Oregon State University, a large nonselective public university. Admission to the Honors College depends heavily on a numerical application score.…

Despite globally increasing numbers of university students participating in paid employment during their studies, there is limited evidence on whether working during the lecture period (i.e., term-time) is beneficial for graduate outcomes, especially from an intersectional perspective. Using Austrian national administrative data on all university…

The First2 Network is a coalition of individuals from multiple universities, K-12 schools, industry, and government organizations from a rural eastern U.S. state who collaborate to ensure that rural, first-generation undergraduate students are prepared and motivated to persist in their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)…

Social support and academic motivation play an imperative role in university students' success. This study investigated the influence of perceived social support and academic motivation on academic persistence. The participants included 207 undergraduate first-generation black students (FGBS) from a comprehensive university in South Africa (Mean…

Critical race pedagogy (CRP) calls for pedagogical approaches that not only acknowledge but also actively resist race-neutral narratives, policies, and practices in education. In the context of undergraduate research (UR), CRP emphasizes the importance of creating research spaces where students of color can see their communities, histories, and…

This promising practice article explores the implementation of an academic recovery program along with supplemental programs at a small liberal arts Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the southeastern United States, Miles College. Miles is an open-enrollment institution, where most students are Pell Grant eligible,…