Proof In The Pandemic: A Tainted Experience For The First-Generation College Student
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Start Date
10-2-2021 7:00 PM
End Date
10-2-2021 8:30 PM
Document Type
Presentation
Description
For many first-generation college students, the pandemic exacerbated many of the challenges and obstacles they continue to face and try to overcome— financial hardships, lack of college readiness, inadequate tools and family obligations. Although higher education has made strides in supporting first-generation college students throughout the years, the pandemic exposed the gaps of how we needed to improve our efforts to ensure the success of this population. There was an urgent need to develop intervention and preventative strategies to address pandemic related loss, mental health and increase student interest and engagement. The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester Campus quickly transitioned from an on-campus pre-summer college program to creating a remote pre-summer college program for qualifying EOF students. The aim of the remote pre-summer college program was to build a virtual community for incoming EOF students that focused on transitioning graduating students from high school to college in a time where their world felt upended due to coronavirus. The success of the summer program proved that with early intervention, preventative strategies, and collaboration efforts we could help first-generation college students adapt to altered college expectations in order to succeed.
Proof In The Pandemic: A Tainted Experience For The First-Generation College Student
For many first-generation college students, the pandemic exacerbated many of the challenges and obstacles they continue to face and try to overcome— financial hardships, lack of college readiness, inadequate tools and family obligations. Although higher education has made strides in supporting first-generation college students throughout the years, the pandemic exposed the gaps of how we needed to improve our efforts to ensure the success of this population. There was an urgent need to develop intervention and preventative strategies to address pandemic related loss, mental health and increase student interest and engagement. The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester Campus quickly transitioned from an on-campus pre-summer college program to creating a remote pre-summer college program for qualifying EOF students. The aim of the remote pre-summer college program was to build a virtual community for incoming EOF students that focused on transitioning graduating students from high school to college in a time where their world felt upended due to coronavirus. The success of the summer program proved that with early intervention, preventative strategies, and collaboration efforts we could help first-generation college students adapt to altered college expectations in order to succeed.