First: Lean on Me

What comes to mind when you think of college? Some thoughts may align with Hollywood’s portrayal of wild parties and socializing, while others with intense academic courses, all-nighters, and ramen noodles diets. Yet another view is often overlooked. Students who are the first in their families to attend college (first generation college students) view it as an opportunity to permanently change their families’ futures. First generation students must figure out how to apply, work with financial aid, and succeed in college, often on their own, without guidance from parents who had college experiences. The FIRST Program, led by Sherry Dorris in Undergraduate Studies, trains successful upperclassmen to mentor incoming first-generation students and, through two Creative Inquiry projects, engages them in research on the first-generation experience.

The Creative Inquiry projects have reviewed the literature on first generation students, conducted focus groups, and produced videotapes to document their own experiences. Future plans include qualitative data analyses.

Robert Locke, senior Civil Engineering major and FIRST mentor, helps his mentees to succeed in their majors and enjoy their time at Clemson by hosting tutoring sessions and social events. Locke said, “The most common problem I see among my mentees is that when they struggle to grasp concepts for a class, they either do not know where they can go for help, or they are too afraid to ask for help. This causes them to become discouraged and want to give up on the class, or worse on their career paths.” Locke lets his mentees know that he is available whenever they need assistance, whether it’s an academic or personal problem.

With mentors like Locke and ongoing research, first generation students have the support they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. Dorris’ goal is to “give top notch support to our first-generation students, while creating a model program that other universities reproduce.”