Supporting First-generation Students – On-Demand Training

Strategic Support Systems and Services to Overcome Barriers to Completion

Ensure your first-generation students have the motivation, support, and resources to overcome barriers to their persistence and academic goals.

Over 40% of today’s entering students are first-generation, but they still complete college at lower rates than their peers. The pandemic has had a significant impact on this population of students — many of whom already have multiple obstacles to overcome. How do we help first-generation students find value in attending college and completing their degrees?

Gather your colleagues from across campus and join our presenter as she shares how vital it is to reimagine how to serve your diverse first-generation students, help them strategize on how their college experiences connect to the achievement of their overall personal and professional goals, and create a value to degree completion. She focuses on the student — their goals and passions and helping them center the value and meaning of their collegiate experience first, which in turn will lead to post-graduation success.

Topics Covered

At the conclusion of the 90-minute online training, you will be able to:

• Engage key stakeholders and partners on and off campus to strengthen current support, create a network with and build a value-based community for first-generation students – implement programs to support the multiple facets needed to help first-generation students discover value and meaning in their collegiate experience and degree completion.
• Recognize the cultural context and family expectations that may impact degree completion – build a campus-wide support system to ensure first-generation students are able to overcome potential barriers to ensure their academic, social, and professional success.
• Foster mentoring relationships both in and out of the classroom – develop essential points of connection to help develop self-confidence, self-advocacy, and social networks on and off campus.
• Understand the current pressures that first-generation students face – help them to reimagine the purpose, meaning, importance, and value of a four-year college degree.
• Create centralized, accessible, and individualized resources to support first-generation students’ diverse needs – help them make meaning of their degree process and use the available resources and services strategically to benefit their future success.

Presenter

Dr. Amy Golden currently serves as Assistant Dean of Students and Executive Director for TRIO Programs at Arizona State University.
Click here for full bio.