Winthrop University’s Division of Student Affairs hosted the second annual First-Generation College Students Celebration Week which aimed to engage first-generation students with approximately one-third of Winthrop students identifying as first-generation students.
First-generation College Students Celebration Week came as a way for students to increase their sense of belonging and engage with other first-generation students at Winthrop as well as faculty, staff and administrators who are first-generation graduates.
Winthrop found that it was important to recognize the resilience first-generation students demonstrate and their initiative to pursue higher education despite the challenges they face.
Vice President for Student Affairs Sheila Burkhalter said, “Certainly most students in the collegiate environment are navigating transitions, learning how to study, developing career readiness skills, etc. However, first-generation college students do not have the benefit of having a parent/legal guardian who has navigated the environment, and thus is able to serve as a resource and guide as they learn how to ‘do’ college. Because first-gen students are ‘first, only, different’ in their families, those around them may not understand their journey or even support them pursuing a degree. This can leave students feeling untethered from home, but not completely connected to college as they pursue their dream of earning a degree.”
Haley Beau, a freshman English major with a minor in secondary education, said, “So far, I’ve had a really good college experience here at Winthrop. However, I have noticed that it’s a little more difficult trying to figure out some of the logistics of actually being in college. I know that a lot of my friends have had help from their parents with knowing what classes to take, how to register, what loans to get, and even just applying to get here and I’ve had to figure most of that out on my own. It’s a little stressful at times, but Winthrop is definitely doing a great job when it comes to support. I’ve been able to make a lot of connections, not only with classmates, but also with staff and that’s proven to be very helpful.”
According to Winthrop’s 2020 TRiO achievers and the 2017 TRiO McNair proposals, 43 percent of the fall 2019 undergraduates and 48 percent of fall 2019 first-year students were first-generation college students.
Assistant Dean for Diversity Kinyta Adams Brown said, “We are intentional about some of our programming and things that we offer. First of all, we recognize and celebrate first-generation college students. And I think that’s important because I find that a lot of students don’t realize that they’re first-generation college students. I have several students that say, ‘oh, I didn’t even realize that I was a first-generation college student.’ So, when they are applying in high school, when they’re applying for college, they’re applying and they’re not realizing, ‘Oh, this is a thing,’ And so I think that part of it is that we’re very intentional about giving some awareness and I think we are intentional about celebrating and recognizing.”
In spring of this year, Winthrop was designated as a First-Gen Forward Institution by The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA –Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education – and The Suder Foundation.
“Because we are part of this [First-gen] forward designation, we had to come up with some goals for the year for us as an institution–how we can better support first-gen students and so we created some goals and again, we are working towards how we can better support and strengthen our support for first-gen students.” Brown said.
“Our students facing goals this year include: Increased motivation, increased sense of belonging, enhanced financial literacy, greater familiarity with the college environment and its available support services.” Burkhalter said. “In collaboration with our colleagues in University College, TRiO, and the McNair Scholars, Student Affairs is well on its way to achieving these goals.”
Programs such as TRiO Student Support Service and the McNair Scholars are both examples of Winthrop’s initiatives to specifically support first-generation students.
“[TRiO] has actually been here longer than most other offices and departments on campus, they have actually been working with first generation students for several years now. They work with certain populations of students but one of those populations is first-generation college students. That’s a federally grant funded program … but that program only has a certain amount of spots of students that can be part of TRiO,” Brown said.
“Almost everything we do in the TRiO Achievers program is intentionally designed to speak to the needs of first-generation students. We serve approximately 180 students who are mostly first generation students (and meet income requirements),” said TRiO program director Rose Gray. “TRiO offers services such as individual academic counseling for each of our students, where a TRiO counselor meets with them regularly to monitor their academic performance, plan out their class schedule each semester and for their four year plan. TRiO also offers tutoring that is exclusive to our students, no appointment necessary. We offer financial literacy development through a range of workshops and financial literacy modules. We have also worked to establish liaisons with offices on campus, such as the Office of Financial Aid and the Center for Career Development and Internships, to answer their questions if we don’t know them. We have an established student-led leadership council that provides students the opportunity to learn hands-on leadership skills. To supplement leadership development, this year we created a LEAD course to take while holding executive positions on the Leadership Council. We offer free printing and free cultural events to productions in Charlotte. TRiO works steadily to serve and equip our students with passion and persistence to ensure they have the resources they need to succeed and graduate from college.”
Adams Brown explains the overall effect that Winthrop hopes to have through First-Generation Students Celebration Week: “What I hope that students will get out of this is students that are one, who are a part of the first generation family that they feel a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment–that ‘Wow, I’m here.’ Like sometimes, I think we relish in the moment, especially this year with so much going on. Right? Like, ‘Wow, I’m here. I made it.’ and just a sense of pride and appreciation and I know some folks may be nervous about being a first-gen student but just know that there are a community of other people on this campus, not only students but administrators… for the students to have some sense of pride and feel that and be okay with that and know that there are a community of other individuals around this campus that are supporting them and kind of their outer network that are here for them.”
Photo by Kaily Paddie
