I am a proud first-generation college president. Neither of my parents was able to attend college. Amidst the tumultuous battles of the Civil Rights Movement, they worked the fields in the same rural Alabama town where they raised me. At an early age, I can recall my mother telling me, “I want you to finish high school and go to college. Somebody has to do something a little different from what your father and I have done.” With my parents' support and encouragement, I obtained my bachelor’s in English from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. From there, I went on to obtain my master’s and doctorate from Virginia State University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, respectively. Now, as the ninth President of Central State University and the father of two sons of my own, I strive to promote intergenerational success for first-generation students and their families.
Dr. Jack Thomas
The category of “first-generation student” has become widespread in higher education discourse in the past 20 years. Legislative, research, and institutional definitions vary in their details, but the idea is that the student's parents do not have college degrees (Sharpe, 2017). “First-generation student” attempts to capture students whose “parents have little or no experience navigating the academic, financial and cultural barriers to higher education” (Sharpe, 2017). In the United States, over 40% of first-year students are first-generation, making first-generation a significant educational demographic (Starz, 2022).
First-generation trends are useful to measure upward economic mobility because educational attainment and socioeconomic status are closely related. With each increase in educational degree or certification, average income rises (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). Thus, to promote upward economic mobility, first-generation students should obtain college degrees at the same rate as their peers whose parents have college degrees (also known as continuing-generation students).
However, first-generation students are less likely to enroll in post-secondary education than their continuing-generation peers (Bennett et al., 2018), and they are less likely to continue in college after their first year (RTI International, 2019). Ultimately, first-generation students are less likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in six years than their continuing-generation peers (RTI International, 2019). This educational achievement gap is not attributable to any difference in intelligence, ability, or aptitude. Rather, it is a combination of systemic issues that disadvantage first-generation students in their pursuit of a four-year degree. These disadvantages result in decreased opportunities for upward economic mobility.
Because first-generation students have less familiarity with the college process, they can face increased barriers to attending and graduating from four-year institutions when compared to their continuing-generation peers. First-generation students may be less familiar with the application process (including the Common Application and other platforms or school-specific processes), the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), declaring or switching a major, the benefits of attending office hours, etc. These mechanisms can be confusing and stressful for any student but may be especially so for first-generation students who may not know who or what to ask. Resources related to these processes can be found at the end of this article.
Furthermore, under the umbrella of “first-generation,” students have intersectional identities that may complicate their attainment of a four-year degree. First-generation students are “predominantly non-white and from low-income backgrounds” (PNPI, 2021). First-generation students of color may face discrimination or racism that can cause stress and other ill effects (Beresin & Watkins, 2021). Low-income first-generation students may face increased financial pressure, amounting to the primary reason first-generation students leave programs without a degree (Beresin & Watkins, 2021).
