Schedule

Full Schedule PDF Coming Soon

All dates and times are subject to change.

Thursday Session Options 

9:00 AM - 9:25 AM EST

Dr. Bridges Welcome

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM EST

Empowering Voices: Building Your Civic Identity as a First-Generation College Student

Brett Bruner

This session is designed to help first-generation college students discover and develop their civic identity. Participants will explore their unique strengths, passions, and purpose, learning how these personal attributes can drive meaningful civic engagement. The session will provide practical strategies for connecting with civic networks within their communities and identifying civic champions on campus who can offer guidance and support. In addition, this session will explore the concept and practice of creating future civic generational wealth. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to leverage their experiences and networks to make a lasting impact, both during their college years and beyond, as you become a catalyst for positive change in your community.

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM EST

STEP into First-Generation Support

Quintenilla Merriweather

First Generation students are growing in numbers, but support and necessary resources are not matching the influx of students who require it. At American University we use our STEP Experience to bridge the gap of Higher Education to our First-Generation population to maximize the support and resources that allow First-Generation students to be retained at a high retention rate and find success during and after they confer their degree.

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM EST

Break

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM EST

Advising the Avengers: Guiding First-Generation College Students Through Their Hero's Journey

Zachary Desjardins

Advising the Avengers: Guiding First-Generation College Students Through Their Hero's Journey examines the parallels between the Hero's Journey archetype and the experiences of first-generation college students (FGCS). Through pop culture references from notable figures like Harry Potter, Spider-Man, and T'Challa, this presentation highlights unique challenges faced by FGCS, including financial barriers, achievement guilt, hidden curriculum, and imposter syndrome. Academic advisors act as essential mentors' akin to Yoda and Professor X offering guidance as students navigate their transformative journeys. This presentation equips advisors with insights into the Hero's Journey framework, enhancing their ability to support FGCS in overcoming challenges and realizing their potential for success in higher education and beyond. By understanding these connections, advisors can play a vital role in fostering resilience and empowerment among FGCS. Join us to discover strategies that promote their growth and development.

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM EST

Empathy and Education-Integrating Trauma Informed Care into the College Experience

Jacquelyn Thomasson

The connection between first-generation students and trauma has been a well-known topic for quite some time. First-generation students may not only face stressors such as financial stress, low self-esteem, cultural displacement, and lack of academic preparation and guidance, but research has also shown first-generation students to report higher scores of adverse childhood experiences (ACES).

As college staff and faculty it is our duty to integrate trauma-informed care into first-generation students experience. By approaching our daily interactions with a trauma-informed lens it can promote their mental well-being, and ultimately support their academic success.

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM EST

Building Community through a Novel Narrative Platform

Tanja Adonizio, Len Farber, Michelle Schmude, Anitza Quintero

To promote connection and community building within our diverse first-generation student community, the first-generation student chairs proposed and developed a student spotlight feature. This spotlight feature allows the student chairs to share their journey and build a network of connection and support. In collaboration with First-Generation Student Support Committee leadership and the marketing and communications team, a template spotlight was created. Student leaders are sent this template when elected to the chair position. The completed spotlights are featured through a variety of media platforms throughout the institution. Future plans are to expand the opportunity to participate to the broader first-generation student community and measure the effect on support community and connection. The presenters will share information on collaboration throughout an institution to develop and sustain a program and the importance of highlighting creative means to support narrative sharing in building community.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM EST

Break/Lunch

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EST

Mentoring First-Gen Students through On-Demand Co-curricular Programs

Amanda Thomas, Cheryl Gunter, Vincent DeMarro

West Chester University utilizes a unique approach to mentoring thousands of first-gen students through on-demand programs based on Yosso's Cultural Wealth Model includes six types of capital that educational leaders may use to frame their interactions with students. The six forms of cultural capital are aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistance. Yosso designed this model to capture the talents, strengths, and experiences that students bring with them to their college environment and empower them to thrive. Join us for a discussion about West Chester's First Co-curriculum and and the needs of today's first-generation college students.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EST

ESU First Gen Community Sprouts Knowledge: Navigating Middle School to College Bound Experiences

Jessica Santiago, Joe Akob

The College Bound ESU is a free program designed to connect local middle school students from JT Lambert Intermediate School and Stroudsburg Middle School, whose parents did not complete a 4-year college degree and provide them with the resources to be first generation college students. The program is a school day field trip to ESU campus where they learn about academic departments and college life for a total of 7 experiences. The program is comprised of visits to campus that will engage students by exploring interests and majors. Connecting students with Gen One college student mentors and experience college life. It also reinforces the importance and impact of high school academics. The goal is for the students to gain an appreciation and understand the benefits of a higher education degree. We also discuss how to better prepare students to understand how to get admitted and financial opportunities and pathways. Lastly, we want to demonstrate that college is an achievable goal.

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM EST

Break

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM EST

Grad Panel

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM EST

First-Generation Student Leadership Program

Tanja Adonizio, Valencia Walker, Nicole Ferentino, Anitza Quintero, Michelle Schmude, Kristen Denniston

To promote student engagement and leadership in the development of first-generation student support at our institution, students proposed and worked with administration to develop an elected student chair to participate on the First-Generation Student Support Committee. This institution wide committee provides strategic leadership for resources and programming throughout the college. This workshop will provide background on the development of a position description for the chair, incorporation into the student council charter, and support and growth of the role. Examples will be provided of the student-led initiatives that have been incorporated into the resource allocation for first-generation student support. Through case exploration, participants will be able to explore the value of this structure for peer support and student leadership development and a collaborative model of student and administration joint leadership.

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM EST

Elevating First-Generation Student Voices: A Collaborative Approach to Student Success

Tiffani Hinds, Monika Rohde, Felipe Henao

New York Institute of Technology has supported and celebrated its first-generation students for over 4 years through programs and events hosted by a standing body of students, faculty and staff. Recently, we have committed to institutionalize this initiative by moving from a taskforce model to a campus-wide committee inclusive of students, staff, administrators, and faculty representing each of the 5 schools/colleges of the university. As a First-Gen Scholars Network member, we have worked to increase the collaborative support for first-generation students through programming and starting two first-generation student clubs (one on each of our New York campuses). This session will explore the lessons learned from moving from a taskforce to an institutional committee and we will share innovative and engaging programs to support first-generation student success. 

2:50 PM EST

Closing Remarks

Thursday Session Options