Research clearly outlines the many positive benefits associated with study abroad programs (e.g., Arghode et al., 2020; Jiang et al., 2019). Unfortunately, the majority of undergraduate students who participate in these experiences are from affluent backgrounds. To increase access to study abroad opportunities for all students, including…

"Social Belonging" interventions for college students aim to reduce the impacts of negative stereotypes that may burden students in underrepresented groups and affect their persistence in college. This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Supporting Postsecondary Success topic area, explores the effects of…

First-generation college students of color (FGCSsOC) represent a growing population of students seeking higher education in the United States, and they are well represented among students pursuing degrees in marketing; yet the marketing industry continues to struggle with a lack of diversity in its workforce. Additionally, the scant research on…

The transition from high school to college can cause an undue amount of attrition for fully qualified, college-intending first-generation students. Although the students may have overcome multiple obstacles to be accepted to a college and arrive at the transition over summer, it can feel overwhelming to complete the flood of tasks without access…

This qualitative study is developed with the idea that the socialization experiences of Latina doctoral students are found in the socially constructed institutional culture of a university at the U.S.-Mexico border. Furthermore, Latina doctoral students are considered active agents in their development as scholars and co-creators of culture. Thus,…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine undecided first- generation students' experience with academic advising at a community college and whether receiving advice from an academic advisor helped guide them towards a major. The researcher conducted one-on-one-interviews with ten students using a protocol based on three research…

Low-income, first-generation (LIFG) student enrollment into postsecondary education programs has been steadily increasing over the last decade. These two groups of marginalized students are habitually overlooked regarding the need for additional supports as they often lack any visual indicators of their LIFG status. LIFG students arrive on-campus…

After completing the first-year seminar, this qualitative research study explored traditional first-generation students' lived experiences in their sophomore year. The second year of college is primarily viewed as challenging and difficult for sophomores. Nevertheless, colleges and universities tend to provide less support to sophomore students…

College-choice research typically analyzed students based on a single perspective of their identity rather than from an intersecting perspective. However, such research fails to account for the experience of people with intersecting identities determining their college options. This study explores (a) the factors that contributed to the…

This study analyzes the phenomenon of poverty among graduates of several Higher Education Institutions (hereinafter, HEIs) in Puerto Rico. A total of five first-generation graduates from poor socioeconomic backgrounds participated in this research. The main objectives of this dissertation were: (1) to know and identify the challenges faced by…

This essay is a discussion of the lived experiences of first-generation college students each August when they arrive on a college campus for the first time. The author's approach offers a reflective component for institutions of higher education to consider when creating support or programs for first-generation students as they navigate an…

This qualitative study highlights how the use of several interpretative-methods helps to better capture the journey of the participants' transition from low-income, immigrant households to first-generation college students of color at a top-tier research university. I examine a wide range of interpretive practices, from traditional to innovative…

This article considers a pedagogical approach that centralizes student-led archival retrieval of rhetorics. The precise context of the author's inquiry is situated in a Californian classroom wherein the author teaches writing in a Latinx Studies department, serving predominately Chicanx first-generation demographics. In that context, the article…

Rural and first-generation students face unique challenges to accessing and persisting through college. While there is increasing literature on how to better serve first-generation college students, rural first-generation students have received far less attention. By associating student experiences with key concepts such as social groups, social…

A phenomenological qualitative research study was conducted to answer the research question: How do first-generation college students experience ambiguous loss towards their cultural identity because of cultural mismatch? To what extent do first-generation college students experience ambiguous loss of their cultural identity? The researcher…