First-Generation African American College Students (Grashin)

Advocacy Plan

First generation college students need to understand that just because they have made it into college does not mean that the journey is over. They must use their peers and those who came before them as a resource, which is why they need to get actively involved with peer groups, older student groups and campus counseling at the first sign of being overwhelmed. This is a key institutional advocacy intervention that can be implemented. The students I spoke with will have this available to them from their current high school, but students coming from less college-focused high schools will face a steeper challenge and need to find it on their own. Ultimately, for first-generation college students, college will be a time of rapid learning where they must take advantage of the resources available to them, and in order to do so, must advocate for themselves. They often have the unfair advantage of less personal resources, either monetary or experiential, so they must learn to advocate for themselves faster than those from other backgrounds.

Reference:

Counseling and Advisement.Image retrieved from https://www.clinton.edu/counseling/

Servant Leadership

The first-generation students I was fortunate to meet with are already receiving servant leadership, specifically intended to help them succeed in college. Students at Kipp Columbus have Junior Seminar, a class focused exclusively on the process of selecting, applying and succeeding in college. Students are broken into small classes of approximately 10 students and taught, in detail, how to select colleges that can help students achieve their career goals, the components of application essays and financial aid, and what life in college is like. These lessons are shown to help first generation college students (Gibbons & Shoffner, 2004).

All of the teachers at the school embody servant leadership. They have taken lower salaries and work longer hours because they believe in the mission of helping kids increase their opportunities for their future. They serve as a resource for students who may not have familial experience to rely on. To provide my own servant leadership, I am proposing to create a group of volunteers to help edit college essays in order to help facilitate the application process and give them the best possible opportunities.

References:

Gibbons, M. M., & Shoffner, M. F. (2004). Prospective first-generation college students: Meeting their needs through social cognitive career theory. Professional School Counseling, 8(1), 91–97. Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2004-19433-011&site=ehost-live

Kipp Through College. Retrieved from https://www.kipp.org/approach/kipp-through-college/

Strengths-Based Needs

The literature suggests certain ways institutions can help first generation college students. One of the biggest factors is lack of informational resources in their personal lives – since family plays such a robust role in college decisions in the first place, if a student’s family did not attend college they are lacking basic knowledge that non first-generations take for granted (Gibbons & Woodside, 2014). Researchers consistently espouse the importance of mentoring (Gibbons et al., 2014; Stephens, Townsend, Hamedani, Destin, & Manzo, 2015). This picture represents the ability to untangle a potentially very confusing environment for someone who is entering it for the first time. This crucial element is essential to the success of first-generation college students.

References:

Gibbons, M. M., & Woodside, M. (2014). Addressing the needs of first‐generation college students: Lessons learned from adults from low‐education families. Journal of College Counseling, 17(1), 21–36. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1882.2014.00045.x

Soothill, Jess. (2018, July). The Power of Mentoring. Enterprise Study. Retrieved from https://enterprisestudy.com/Blog/What-is-Mentoring

Stephens, N. M., Townsend, S. S. M., Hamedani, M. G., Destin, M., & Manzo, V. (2015). A difference-education intervention equips first-generation college students to thrive in the face of stressful college situations. Psychological Science, 26(10), 1556–1566. doi: 10.1177/0956797615593501

Systemic Challenges

This picture represented the challenges faced by first generation college students. While colleges and fellow students are often trying their best to be helpful, their support comes from an inherently separate viewpoint, which can be difficult for first generation students. Research suggests that being mentored by first-generation students from similar demographics leads to more positive outcomes regarding completing school and subsequent careers (Stephens, Townsend, Hamedani, Destin, & Manzo, 2015). However, this picture represents the long and often lonely road many first-generation college students face, even with the good intentions of their peers.

References:

Garcia, F. (2016, January). Being a First Generation College Student. The Daily Trojan. Retrieved from https://dailytrojan.com/2016/01/30/being-a-first-generation-college-student/

Luo, Cindy. Being a First-Generation College Student. 30 Jan. 2016, dailytrojan.com/2016/01/30/being-a-first-generation-college-student/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2018.

Annotated Bibliography

(2) The study focused on career and educational issues that students faced when their parents lacked postsecondary education. It also explored the difference in attitudes of men and women. (3) The study conducted was based on two foundational studies that looked at roles of parents on career choices after college. There was then a sequential study done to expand the knowledge base. (4) Using data from two similar studies, they reanalyzed the data in what Wiles, Crow and Pain (2011) called “qualitative adaptation.” Data analysis was done using the two studies as a baseline for their theories, then with that in mind they reviewed the data and interviews from the foundational study and independently gathered new data for the foundational study. (6) Fathers were the biggest influence when it came to work and career, even in situations where the mother worked as well. This was true for both men and women, and fathers also played a larger role in encouraging college in the first place. (7) Family influence was a huge factor – both in deciding to attend college and in the first-generation careers as well. The support of the family is crucial, and for many first-generation students attending college is considered a significant milestone. The first-generation students also place emphasis on enjoying their careers. Particularly among the women in the study, mentoring played a significant role in staying in school. Additionally, counselors can use this data to help make prospective first-generation students see how proud fellow new graduates are of their achievement and use it as motivation. It is also important for first generation college students to get involved with campus life because they may not feel as naturally welcome as the students whose parents attended colleg. (8) The study appears to be constructed well and is based on a plethora of prior studies. With that said, there are only a handful of students in the study and it is mostly relying on the analysis of the researchers to reach the conclusions. Overall, the study, while perhaps not comprehensive, carefully drew conclusions that can help first generation college students.

(2) The purpose of this article is to examine how school counselors can assist prospective first-generation college students using Social Cognitive Career Theory. (3) The article was written in 2004 and contains many references from before the turn of the century, so the data is somewhat dated. The main purpose of the paper is to demonstrate its theory using a single case study. (4) Prospective first-generation college students have significant barriers to overcome to attend college, which can be aided with good high school counseling. (6) Using Social Cognitive Career Theory, high school counselors can help first-generation prospective students succeed in college. They accomplish this with the three primary tenets of SCCT: Self-efficacy, outcome expectations and goal setting. Using these steps, students can visualize a path to collegiate success, if they have a proactive school counselor and encouraging parents. (7) There are strategies that high school counselors can use to help students focus on the types of careers that could otherwise be difficult to visualize. College is a necessary first step toward achieving those goals. (8) The article is based on research, but is not based on a statistically significant study. However, because it is based on significant research, and it also appeared to be a logical approach, the article does seem to offer concrete strategies that could help first-generation prospective students. A more comprehensive study would be needed to definitively prove that SCCT could be used more universally.

McMurray, A. J., & Sorrells, D. (2009). Bridging the gap: Reaching first-generation students in the classroom. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 36(3), 210–214. Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2009-20155-004&site=ehost-live

(2) This article provides strategies for college professors to integrate first-generation college students into their classrooms and help them succeed. First-generation students are more likely to leave college and there are ways for professors to help them stay. (3) The sources the article cites are related to teaching and the confluence of counseling and teaching, specifically in helping these students. Many of the studies are similar to the sources cited by other articles relating to the difficulties first-generation students face. (5) The author provides strategies to help first-generation students feel more comfortable in college. (6) In order to help first-generation students, professors must be 1. Conscious of demography; 2. Use illustrative examples; 3. Use humor in the classroom; 4. Provide redemptive opportunities; 5. Have an open-door policy and foster a sense of community. (7) Due to the external difficulties that first-generation students face, it is important for professors to be aware and help combat those challenges. Since so many first-generation students have difficulties with self-efficacy, helping them get integrated into the classroom and allowing them some leeway after making a mistake are two key ways professors can help. (8) The article seems to offer strategies, though with little empirical evidence. Many of the strategies do appear to be logical, however, and it is easy to imagine them counter balancing some of the difficulties that plague many first-generation students.

Holland, M. M. (2015). Trusting each other: Student-counselor relationships in diverse high schools. Sociology of Education, 88(3), 244–262. doi:10.1177/0038040715591347

(2) This article examines the relationship between high school counselors and first-generation students, with a particular emphasis on trust between counselors and students. (3) The author cites sources that detail the disadvantages of first-generation college students, foremost among them the lack of knowledge about college from the family, which non first-generation students are able to rely on. It also emphasizes the importance of the high school in guiding these students to college, focusing on the trust the prospective student must have in the high school staff. (4) The author spent two years at two diverse schools and interviewed 89 students and 22 counselors and other staff. The author chose schools that allow for students to have significant time with counselors if they want it, so that she could focus on the relationship between student and counselor. Students were interviewed and asked to fill out surveys to gather demographic information, and students were selected randomly by race and grade, though African Americans were intentionally oversampled. (6) Trust was the central issue for students who had a bad experience with counselors. Many students felt that they were not encouraged to pursue their specific collegiate aspirations, whereas counselors felt that in those situations they were merely trying to be practical. Additionally, there were challenges due the unique populations of the schools, which were a combination of low income and high-income students. Many students did not feel that the counselors were sufficiently proactive, which could have been the result of differing levels of need between first generation, low income students and the higher income level students who had parents and family members who had attended college. (8) There is a potential problem with using these two specific schools, since they are unique and not necessarily predominantly first-generation students. Because of the demographics, the counselors faced unique challenges that may not be present in a school that has students with predominantly college-educated parents or one that is predominantly first-generation. The notion that trust is an important factor in the relationship, however, is an important takeaway.

(2) The article details a study conducted between two groups of incoming college students to see if there are strategies to help with immersion in college. (3) They use a study that states that self-affirmation exercises can lead to better academic outcomes (done by Cohen, Garcia, Apfel & Master, 2006). Additionally, there is data that these excersizes can help over time as well (Cohen & Sherman, 2014; Sherman et al., 2013; Yeager & Walton, 2011). (4) Two groups of students, comprised of both first-generation and continuing-generation (students with at least one parent with a four-year degree) from lower socio-economic classes. In the “difference education” group, students were given advice from seniors about how their specific background can be a strength, rather than a hindrance. In the control group, students received similar support but it was not linked to their specific background. Students were randomly assigned to the two groups (84 in each) and then asked to participate in a lab study in the spring semester of their second year for $50. (6) Students in the difference education group discussed their background more than those in the control, suggesting students in this group retained more from their initial meeting with seniors. Additionally, the lab test confirmed that first-generation students in the difference group showed more physiological thriving than first-generation students in the control. (7) These findings can help establish a framework for prospective students to thrive in college. If they are able to speak with students who have a similar background who have met and overcame the challenges found in college, they could have improved performance. (8) This article is very thorough and seems to take a look at well-being, both subjective and physiological. However, it does not dive into academic performance, or discuss those who left school between the initial intervention and the lab study.

Bailey, B. P. (2015). Review of First-generation college students: Understanding and improving the experience from recruitment to commencement. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice, 17(3), 381–385. doi:10.1177/1521025115575920

(2) This article is a book review of Graduating College Students, by Ward, Siegel & Davenport (2012). (3) The literature cited is the aforementioned book. (5) Examining the common barriers of first-generation college students and then several initiatives to help improve retention. The author also agrees with most of the key points in the book, including how a holistic approach is needed by the university to help the first-generation students. (6) The author believes the book’s definition of a first-generation student is too narrow. Apart from that, she agrees with the main points of the book, namely that there are special and unique barriers to first generation college students, including lack of knowledge about the procedures and protocols of college. (7) Students in high school would be well served to learn about different groups (such as the TRIO Program) that help foster positive environments for first-generation students when they make it to college. It could help ease the transition from high school into a college environment. (8) The article is not taking a strong position other than mostly agreeing with the authors of the book she is reviewing. It does provide some in depth summaries of the chapters that are helpful towards a broader understanding of the topic, and it provides a good framework for understanding the book if further information is needed.