Location

Room 144B, Chamberlain Student Center

Start Date

13-2-2020 9:45 AM

End Date

13-2-2020 10:45 AM

Document Type

Presentation

Description

After first enrolling in college, comparatively more first-generation students drop out than their non-firstgeneration peers before earning a degree. Although first generation students are gaining access to college, the support structures created within these institutions may fall short to address the psychological needs and deep-seated issues they face. How can we better understand these experiences and what can we do to help guide them through these phases? Using the “culture shock” framework, this session will review the four stages of “culture shock” and the way they correlate directly to the firstgeneration student experience. The four phases to be discussed are: the honeymoon phase, the irritation and frustration phase, the understanding and adjustment phase, and the acceptance “mastery” phase. We will then dive into what contributes to each phase, including how student affairs professionals and faculty can better serve the needs of first-generation students, as well as how we can facilitate the transition through each phase in a smooth and efficient manner. This knowledge will help empower firstgeneration students to use their unique identity as a strength and a platform for college success.

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Feb 13th, 9:45 AM Feb 13th, 10:45 AM

Piecing It Together: The Puzzle of the First-Generation Identity Crisis

Room 144B, Chamberlain Student Center

After first enrolling in college, comparatively more first-generation students drop out than their non-firstgeneration peers before earning a degree. Although first generation students are gaining access to college, the support structures created within these institutions may fall short to address the psychological needs and deep-seated issues they face. How can we better understand these experiences and what can we do to help guide them through these phases? Using the “culture shock” framework, this session will review the four stages of “culture shock” and the way they correlate directly to the firstgeneration student experience. The four phases to be discussed are: the honeymoon phase, the irritation and frustration phase, the understanding and adjustment phase, and the acceptance “mastery” phase. We will then dive into what contributes to each phase, including how student affairs professionals and faculty can better serve the needs of first-generation students, as well as how we can facilitate the transition through each phase in a smooth and efficient manner. This knowledge will help empower firstgeneration students to use their unique identity as a strength and a platform for college success.