Walking in the Dark: the Plight of First Generation Students Jeff Burdick (Clovis Community College) Carolyn Holcroft (Foothill College) Cynthia Rico (San Diego Mesa College) James Todd (Modesto Junior College)

First Generation Students in CCCs “Student whose parents have no college experience” CCCCO Survey Summer ‘12 – Spring ’14 College admission application, “highest level of education that parents/guardians obtained” N = 798,708 students Generation%20Students%20in%20the%20California%20Community%20College%20Syste m.pdf Nonfirst generation: 60% First generation: 40%

Snapshot of CCC First Gen Students Gender of First-Generation Status Gender First Generation Status Total First Generation Nonfirst Generation Female56%52%54% Male44%48%46% Take-aways: First gen students slightly more likely to be female Very little difference in age Generation%20Students%20in%20the%20California%20Community%20College%20System.pdf Gender of First-Generation Status Median Age (years) First generation26.7 Nonfirst generation25.9

Snapshot of CCC First Gen Students Pell Grant Award of First- Generation Status Pell Grant First Generation Status Total First Generation Nonfirst Generation No79%88%84% Yes21%12%16% Takeaway: Only 84% of students took Pell grants More Pell grant recipients were first generation students Generation%20Students%20in%20the%20California%20Community%20College%20System.pdf

Race – Ethnicity of First – Generation Status (*self-identified) Higher percentage of Hispanic students in first-gen group than non-firstgen Higher percentage of white, Asian, & multi-race in nonfirst gen group

Course Placement, Success and Persistence By First Generation Status Summer 2012 Through Spring 2014

Student Voices

So what did you hear, see and not hear?

Let’s change our thinking – and our language To many institutions, that’s the mindset: they are going to fail, and it is our job to stop that failure. Instead, Institutional planning should be built on affirmations and should be directed toward student success.

I can do this. For me, college is possible I’m ready for college I have a dream, and my family has my back Really? I can afford this? Sign me up!

I’m here: now what? It’s a big place.

What can local Senates do Though not required, collect and report first gen status data in Student Equity Plans Invite panels of first generation students to get a sense of local issues Model the use of affirmative attitude and growth mindset language

What can local Senates do

The Rose That Grew from Concrete “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping its dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared.” ― Tupac Shakur, The Rose That Grew from ConcreteTupac ShakurThe Rose That Grew from Concrete

Sources Engle, Jennifer, Adolfo Bermeo, and Colleen O’Brien. “Straight from the Source: What Works For First-Generation College Students.” The Pell Institute for the study of opportunity in Higher Education. December Everett, Julia Brookshire. “Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First-Generation Students.” Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin. Spring Macias, Louis V. “Choosing Success: A Paradigm for Empowering First-Generation College Students.” About Campus. November-December, Tucker, Geri Coleman. “First Generation.” Chronicle of Higher Education. March 7, First Generation Students in the California Community College System: 2014 Research Brief First Generation Students in the California Community College System: 2014 Research Brief