Perceived Faculty Support in Freshman Year Boosts First-Generation College Students' Belonging and Persistence in Science

• In Event: 32.082 - Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: 32.082-4 - Teaching and Teacher Motivation

Abstract

First-generation students experience greater difficulties with fitting in and adjusting to college than continuing-generation students. This difference is attributed to cultural mismatch (Stephens et al., 2012). But do different experiences with faculty change this pattern? We investigated whether variability in perceptions of faculty support in the first semester of college predicts changes in belonging and science interest. Through a longitudinal study of freshman science majors (N = 546), we found that, over and above expected faculty support and belonging, perceiving science faculty as more supportive predicted greater belonging for first-generation (but not continuing-generation) students after their first semester. Greater belonging mediated effects on greater interest to persist in science for first-generation students at the end of their second semester.

Authors

• Garam Lee, San Diego State University

• Christina Curti, University of Rochester

• Jeanette Zambrano, University of Southern California

• Gregg Abe Muragishi, California State University - Long Beach

• Dustin Thoman, San Diego State University