2023 Symposium
2023 Symposium
6th Annual First-Generation Symposium
A Mosaic of Success: Higher Education for the New Majority
Wednesday, February 15 - Thursday, February 16, 2023
Navigating the higher education experience is challenging for even the most well-connected students. However, for students in the New Majority – first-generation students and those who fall into one or more historically underserved groups such as students of color, working adults, veterans, parents, and career switchers – the obstacles may seem especially overwhelming. Those in higher education are more aware than ever that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to successfully supporting these students inside or outside the classroom. As higher education continues transforming, the demand for best practices increases.
This year’s theme, “A Mosaic of Success: Higher Education for the New Majority,” invites students, families, professionals, educators, and scholars to share their successes, as well as the challenges that they have encountered. These may cover such varied topics as academic support in non-traditional spaces, development of experiential learning, institutional policies and practices, and demystifying the financial aid process. These presentations can go a long way toward not only creating opportunities for New Majority students but also developing a higher standard for meeting the needs of all students.
The core of the symposium will remain the same: to educate, share ideas, and work to serve the needs of first-generation students and their families. The symposium will feature presentations, breakout sessions, resources, as well as the return of the Student Panel session! The anticipated audience will include students, faculty, and staff from Rowan University and other colleges and universities.
Thank you for a wonderful event!
2023 Keynote Speaker
Lindsay Romasanta, Ed.D.
Lindsay Romasanta, Ed.D. (she/her/siya) joined Portland State University in 2021 to serve as Assistant Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion, having worked in a variety of public service settings ranging from grass roots community non-profits to public four-year institutions. Dr. Romasanta founded and led a program that was recognized with the 2020 NASPA Excellence Award in First-Gen Student Success. In 2018, Dr. Romasanta was recognized by UC San Diego with an Exemplary Service of the Year award. In 2019 and 2020, she was recognized as a Social Mobility Student Success Innovator by College Net, Inc. Dr. Romasanta is a proud Pilipina, low-income, first-generation college graduate. Like many first-generation college students, she stumbled upon her professional passion of choice — higher education — by chance. Since that discovery, she has dedicated her professional and scholarly work helping college students achieve their dreams of higher education. Dr. Romasanta’ s research interests are first-generation college students, resilience, retention and holistic success of historically excluded students, strategies to support first-generation and BIPOC scholar practitioners, and anti-deficit approaches in higher education. Dr. Romasanta has presented her work at American Education Research Association, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, College Board, Association for the Study of Higher Education, and at various universities and nonprofit organizations. She has co-authored several pieces of higher education research in book chapters and is currently working on another published piece. She is also serving as inaugural co-editor of NASPA’s Journal of First-generation Student Success. She graduated summa cum laude and received a bachelor's degree in social work and a certificate in Asian American studies from Arizona State University, her Masters of Public Administration degree from Georgia State University, and her Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University.
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