Offering A Place to Stay: Academic Advisors at the Center of First Generation College Students’ Experiences Dr. Sarah Minslow, Academic Advisor and Lecturer, English Ms. Pamela Richardson-Nowak, Assistant Director, Building Educational Strengths and Talents, University Center for Academic Excellence Ms. Cathy Blat, Director, University Center for Academic Excellence Dr. Cynthia Wolf Johnson, Associate Provost for Academic Services and Interim Director, University Career Center

Context: UNC Charlotte University of North Carolina system: 17 institutions Currently 4th largest: ~27,320 Largest TR population within system (~50% new undergraduates) First Generation: ~ 43% (36% FR; 51% TR) Urban, research: 21 doctoral programs, 64 master’s degree programs, 80 bachelor’s degree programs Discipline-Based Colleges: Arts + Architecture; Business; Computing & Informatics; Education; Engineering; Health & Human Services; Liberal Arts & Sciences University College: Undeclared and students in transition Young institution: Established 1946, as Charlotte Center Undergraduate Academic Advising at UNC Charlotte

Research Project TITLE A Self-Reported Needs Assessment: Building Capacity from the Ground Up to Enhance the College Experience for First Generation Students and Improve Retention Rates GOALS 1.Assess the needs of first generation students enrolled at UNC Charlotte; 2.Assess the attitudes and practices of faculty in their interactions with first generation students; 3.Develop training resources to train faculty in how to best support first generation students; and 4.Develop support resources for first generation students enrolled at UNC Charlotte if necessary.

Rationale and Alignment with Institutional Priorities RATIONALE To know what first generation college students need to persist at UNC Charlotte To build on previous work To demonstrate our commitment to supporting FGS Alignment with Diversity Objectives –Recruit and graduate a diverse student body by increasing access to HE for historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups

Methodology Student Survey: 44 Questions (open-ended; multiple choice) –Personal information –Concerns and expectations –Experiences –Critical instances –Support systems Focus Groups (3) –Vast age range (approx middle age) –Freshman through graduate students –Predominantly female –Multiple races and ethnicities represented

Student Results CHARACTERISTICS OF FGS Money, time, and capability are top concerns about college “Imposter” Syndrome Survivors’ Guilt Reluctant to ask for help (help-seeking paradox) -36% unsure where to go if they need assistance -Approaching faculty and can be difficult for any student, but FGS are more likely to fear condemnation or wasting a faculty or staff member’s time -More likely to seek support from on-campus services than from family and friends

Student Results

“A Pedagogy of Belonging” Mitchell Beck and James Malley “The psychological sense that one belongs in a classroom and school community is considered a necessary antecedent to the successful learning experience … Schools can increase the sense of belonging for all students by emphasizing the importance of the teacher- student relationship and by actively involving all students in the life of the classroom and the school community.”

Why Is Belonging Important For First Generation College Students? Crandall (1981): “When students felt they belonged, they had an enhanced sense of worth and increased self- confidence. On the other hand, if they did not feel they belonged, they felt helpless and had no sense of control over their environment.” (qtd. in Beck & Malley) Goodenow (1993): “When students felt they belonged, they were more motivated, had higher expectations of success, and believed in the value of their academic work.” (qtd. in Beck and Malley).

Considerations Macias (2013): “[A] perpetual focus on deficits and gaps has caused us to expect (original emphasis) deficiency. It is the norm, so much words like ‘poor’ and ‘uneducated’ come to mind before ‘family-oriented’ and ‘determined’ when we think about these students.”

Considerations STRENGTHS OF FGS –FGS come from a variety of backgrounds. How can advisors help them see their own cultural competencies and how they are useful in the academic realm? –Many are non-traditional students who bring life experience. How, as advisors, can we help them use their experiences to negotiate academia? –Many are breaking a cycle in pursing higher education. How can we nurture their determination?

Considerations Avoid Rejecting Behaviors: Preaching or moralizing -Be aware of how your own cultural lens shapes how you interact with and speak to students. Interrogating -Give students space to use their voices and tell their own stories and provide validation when possible. Relying on stereotypes -Get to know your students as individuals and recognize the habit of categorizing them too quickly. Giving students “choiceless choices” -Understand their realities.

Discussion: Offering a Place to Stay Do we need to change our advising practices to meet the needs of FGS? If so, how? How can we improve our advising practices to better support students to develop a sense of belonging and connectedness?

Acknowledgements This research was funded by a grant from the UNC Charlotte Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund

Thank You for Your Commitment to First Generation College Students! For more information, contact: –Sarah Minslow –Pamela Richardson-Nowak