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Why did We Explore First Generation Students' Experiences?
In recognizing the prevalent challenges faced by first generation students and their ability to remain resilient in light of these barriers, the 2016-2017 Undergraduate Research Partnership Initiative (URPI) study elected to examine the ways first generation college Students of Color at UCLA leverage marginalized forms of cultural capital to achieve their educational and career goals. Fourteen semi-structured interviews and a document analysis of participant’s college going maps were used to address the following research questions:
1) What mindsets, behaviors or strategies do first-generation college students draw upon in order to navigate the postsecondary institutional environment in pursuit of their educational and career goals?
2) What can higher education institutions do to support and strengthen these mindsets, behaviors and strategies?
The goal of this qualitative study was to help the UCLA community better understand the unique experiences of UCLA first generation students in order to identify areas for strengthening programs and resources.
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What did We Find?
Analysis revealed the following key findings:
- First generation students encounter intersectional barriers to obtaining career goals
- The limited capacity, transparency, and diversity of first generation resources creates undue stress
- Community cultural wealth serves to augment institutional resource disparities
- First generation students' report salient connections between identity, community cultural wealth, and career aspirations
How Can the Findings Inform Practice?
While first generation students did acknowledge the efforts the campus has made to provide resources for them, there were still significant gaps in coverage. In order to address the concerns reported by students, UCLA should consider several institutional changes: 1) supporting and validating students’ use of community cultural wealth to reach their goals; 2) addressing intersections of race, first generation status, and mental health that are particularly challenging for this group; and 3) increasing outreach to connect first-generation students to specific resources.
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