First-Generation Student Support NSE Presentation

NSE Author

05/16/2023 Added

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A first-generation student is a student whose parents/guardians have not earned a 4-year degree. Learn why being a first-gen student matters and hear about programs on campus designed to help first-generation students get connected and transition to college life.

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[00:00:00.570]Hi, my name is Lori Romano
[00:00:02.400]and I'm the director of the Center for Academic Success
[00:00:04.980]and Transition or CAST Office here at UNL.
[00:00:11.460]A first generation student is a student
[00:00:13.530]whose parents or guardians do not have a four-year degree.
[00:00:17.040]If your parents or guardians started college and stopped,
[00:00:20.010]you're first-gen.
[00:00:21.390]If your parents and guardians earned a certificate
[00:00:24.090]or an associate's degree from a two-year school,
[00:00:27.240]you're still first-gen.
[00:00:28.770]If your parents and guardians never went to college,
[00:00:31.530]you're first-gen.
[00:00:32.940]If you have a sibling, or a cousin
[00:00:34.950]or an aunt, and uncle, who are currently attending college,
[00:00:38.130]you're first-gen.
[00:00:39.660]And if your parents went to college
[00:00:42.030]or attended a university outside of the United States,
[00:00:45.390]you're still first-gen.
[00:00:50.580]Being first generation means
[00:00:52.380]you might be the first in your family
[00:00:54.390]to earn a college degree.
[00:00:56.700]Being first-gen is exciting, but it can be overwhelming too.
[00:01:00.240]It can sometimes feel like other students
[00:01:02.220]have some secret playbook
[00:01:03.870]that explains how everything works,
[00:01:05.760]where all the resources are,
[00:01:07.350]and what all of the confusing acronyms stand for.
[00:01:11.310]So being first generation often means
[00:01:14.040]trying to navigate your way through the college experience
[00:01:18.390]without having that really helpful guidebook.
[00:01:21.090]There's no simple definition
[00:01:23.100]when it comes to being a first-gen student.
[00:01:25.980]first generation students come to college
[00:01:28.020]with different levels of comfort and knowledge
[00:01:30.930]about what the college experience might look like.
[00:01:33.540]For students, you are the first in your family
[00:01:36.120]to do this college thing.
[00:01:38.130]Instead of following a very clear
[00:01:40.140]and defined path that has been paved
[00:01:42.240]and walked before you, like many other students,
[00:01:45.690]you will be the first one building this brand new road.
[00:01:50.160]It's exciting, but it's also a little bit scary,
[00:01:53.550]and overwhelming too.
[00:01:55.380]You're gonna be learning a lot.
[00:01:57.000]One of the things that you're gonna learn
[00:01:58.260]is that college is nothing like high school.
[00:02:00.960]You're going to have a brand new schedule.
[00:02:04.291]You're going to be living perhaps on campus,
[00:02:06.630]or away from home for the first time.
[00:02:09.179]You're going to need to develop new study habits and skills,
[00:02:11.280]and be in charge of your own life.
[00:02:13.560]This is what adulthood looks like.
[00:02:15.870]You're going to be making decisions,
[00:02:17.730]maybe suffering some consequences because of those decisions
[00:02:21.510]and you're going to be setting your own goals
[00:02:24.240]and building a really strong support network for yourself,
[00:02:28.080]and that's part of what we wanna help you do
[00:02:29.970]here at Nebraska.
[00:02:34.440]So for families, what does this mean for you?
[00:02:37.740]This means that you're sending your student
[00:02:39.690]and your child off to do something
[00:02:41.310]that you may never have done before yourself,
[00:02:44.310]and that's really scary.
[00:02:46.140]When your student hits a roadblock, or they call home,
[00:02:49.290]and they have questions or issues
[00:02:51.420]that they can't figure out,
[00:02:52.950]you might not have all the info to help them.
[00:02:56.400]It's natural to say, "Just come home.
[00:02:59.130]We'll figure it out, just come home."
[00:03:01.500]But we don't want you to do that.
[00:03:02.910]We want you to help your student get connected
[00:03:05.550]with the resources on campus.
[00:03:07.230]That could be the CAST office,
[00:03:08.970]that might be the Office of Academic Success
[00:03:12.120]and Intercultural Services or OASIS.
[00:03:14.730]It might mean connecting with their advisors,
[00:03:17.430]or their resident assistants,
[00:03:19.230]the folks who are living and working in their dorms,
[00:03:21.900]and in their residence halls.
[00:03:24.270]Just know that it's exciting,
[00:03:26.610]and it's scary for you too as the family members.
[00:03:29.940]You are trusting the people in the university
[00:03:32.280]to step in and be the support system
[00:03:34.470]while your child tries to figure this out.
[00:03:37.290]There are so many resources on campus,
[00:03:40.530]and that can be a little bit overwhelming too.
[00:03:43.200]Just know there's always someone who can help,
[00:03:46.470]and the CAST office might be a really great first step,
[00:03:49.950]and first referral that you can make to your students.
[00:03:53.040]Ask them, "Hey, have you visited the CAST office?
[00:03:56.070]Have you spoken to one of the academic success coaches,
[00:03:58.860]or an advisor?
[00:04:00.180]Have you talked to anyone on campus
[00:04:02.130]to try and solve your problem?"
[00:04:04.380]And families, we just want you to know
[00:04:06.750]that you're learning too,
[00:04:08.490]and the resources here on campus are here for you as well.
[00:04:12.300]Don't hesitate to reach out and ask questions,
[00:04:15.420]but also understand
[00:04:16.920]that you're going to be helping your student
[00:04:18.750]learn this adulting thing.
[00:04:21.000]They're gonna be learning how to take responsibility
[00:04:24.090]for their own actions and their own education.
[00:04:26.670]And so that might mean
[00:04:27.960]instead of swooping in and trying to help them figure it out
[00:04:31.770]that you continue to refer them and ask your student,
[00:04:34.807]"Have you connected with someone on campus?
[00:04:36.750]Have you been asking questions?
[00:04:38.400]Have you gone into the CAST office
[00:04:39.810]to meet with one of the success coaches?"
[00:04:42.030]We are here to help both you and your student
[00:04:45.000]get really comfortable.
[00:04:50.760]First Gen Nebraska is a huge network
[00:04:53.850]of first-gen faculty staff, and students here at Nebraska.
[00:04:57.900]Almost a quarter of the people on this campus
[00:05:00.810]are first generation,
[00:05:02.640]so if you see the logo on a t-shirt,
[00:05:05.040]on a pin, or a button, or even hanging on a sign
[00:05:08.079]on an office door,
[00:05:10.140]it might mean that person is first generation too.
[00:05:13.710]These are your people.
[00:05:15.270]So look for them around campus,
[00:05:17.220]and at different events,
[00:05:18.420]like the First Gen Share A Meal events,
[00:05:20.430]which are a really great way
[00:05:22.290]for students, faculty, and staff
[00:05:23.820]to get a free meal together in one of the dining halls.
[00:05:27.000]We also like to celebrate
[00:05:28.620]the National First-Gen Recognition Day,
[00:05:32.130]which we turn into a week
[00:05:33.360]of celebration every November.
[00:05:39.450]There's also a First-Gen Recognized Student Organization,
[00:05:43.680]or RSO, which is just a fancy name
[00:05:46.170]of saying a first-gen club.
[00:05:48.330]The first-gen RSO like to do fun things
[00:05:51.270]like going to see a women's basketball games together,
[00:05:54.540]doing arts and crafts,
[00:05:55.800]or even visiting the Lied Center for a Broadway show.
[00:06:04.560]There are also different offices and support networks
[00:06:07.530]that can support first generation students on campus.
[00:06:12.150]The First Husker Program
[00:06:13.890]in the Center for Academic Success and Transition
[00:06:17.130]is a first year program designed for first-gen students.
[00:06:21.750]First Huskers get a chance to move to campus early.
[00:06:24.480]This year, we move in on Sunday, August 13th,
[00:06:27.630]and first Huskers participate
[00:06:29.190]in a four-day program where they get to meet new friends,
[00:06:32.490]connect with CAST coaches and peer mentors,
[00:06:35.550]and even transition into a once a week,
[00:06:38.280]one-hour seminar through the fall semester.
[00:06:43.050]The Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services
[00:06:46.260]or OASIS also has an OASIS Student Success Program
[00:06:51.030]where first generation students can get together,
[00:06:54.540]be in a seminar class together in the fall,
[00:06:57.840]and then also participate
[00:06:59.550]in many multicultural and diversity events
[00:07:02.160]throughout the year.
[00:07:04.230]No matter what your first-gen story is,
[00:07:06.990]you can succeed here at Nebraska,
[00:07:09.750]and there are a whole lot of people who can help you.
[00:07:12.930]If you would like more information,
[00:07:15.090]feel free to reach out
[00:07:16.350]to the Center for Academic Success and Transition
[00:07:19.230]at 402-472-1880,
[00:07:23.790]or email us, success@unl.edu.
[00:07:28.440]We can't wait to see you on campus in the fall.
[00:07:31.680]Welcome to Nebraska and go Big Red.

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First-Generation Student Support NSE Presentation

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