Webinar: Fostering Belonging and Supporting Success for First-Generation Students

Fostering Belonging and Supporting Success for First-Generation Students: A Guide for Supporting Academic Trailblazers and Their Families Research shows that first-gen students struggle to gain a sense of belonging. Low-income, first-generation students (students whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree) face additional barriers.

• 30% of first-generation learners drop out of college after three years.
• Only 11% of students who identify as both first-generation and low-income graduate with a bachelor’s degree within six years of matriculation.

In this webinar, we’ll share practical strategies and resources you can implement to foster a sense of belonging in first-gen learners and increase engagement and retention.

Strategies addressed include:

• Demystifying campus language
• Cultivating a sense of belonging in families
• Sharing your story to reduce the impact of imposter phenomenon

Panelists include:

• Brandon Cooper, PhD, Assistant Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Texas A&M University–College Station
• Evelyn R. Espinoza, Director, Student Success & Advising, California State University, Los Angeles
• Richard L. Moss, PhD, Dean, School of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College
• Jasmine Faison, Assistant Director, Admissions, Bennett College