Can You Hear Us Now? First-Gen Student Voices and Transitions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Disrupting the Narrative: Diverse Perspectives on First-Generation College Student Transitions Across the P–20 Pipeline

Abstract

First-generation students are considered underrepresented individuals in higher education (Drane et al., 2019). Despite the growing interest, limited research has been conducted comparing the experiences of first-gen students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels during the COVID-19 pandemic (Kiebler & Stewart, 2022; Santa-Ramirez et al., 2022). Research suggests that this population experiences unseen physical and psychological barriers that have since become exacerbated due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (Cataldi et al., 2018; Soria et al., 2020; Wagner et al., 2023; Walsh et al., 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to the college student experience, including traditional avenues for academic and social integration that help build a sense of institutional cohesion and academic persistence that must be examined (Tinto, 1975).

Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1995) to guide our analysis, researchers highlight distinct challenges and resources first-gen students utilize and further require to “move in, through, and out” of their undergraduate- and graduate-level educational programs successfully. By leveraging the student experiences of those who share the unique identity of being the first in their families to attain these degrees, our program fostered a space for discussion, innovation, and change.

Data for this paper were collected in two separate programs that used a series of focus groups (for undergraduates) and workshops (for graduate students) to learn more about how first-gen students of diverse backgrounds navigated higher education during the pandemic. Our first-gen undergraduate cohort consisted of fourteen individuals, while our graduate cohort consisted of four masters- or doctoral-level students paired with faculty also identifying as first-gen. This project's artifacts were coded for thematic analysis. Researchers identified themes within and across the experiences of first-gen students by utilizing an asset-based approach to examine two qualitative datasets.

Similarities between both cohorts demonstrate a lingering and significant impact of the pandemic on their academic, social, and financial experiences. Stress, imposter syndrome, and other negative psychological sentiments were specified as fallout from changes in classroom modality, social distance regulations, and increased familial strain during the pandemic (Booker et al., 2022). Furthermore, participants across the undergraduate- and graduate levels shared stories that connected with Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth model indicating multiple forms of cultural wealth and social assets, such as familial, social, and aspirational capital. These assets increased their motivation and ability to transition through their programs.

Our cohorts differed in terms of their overall academic responsibilities and expectations. Graduate students discussed the precarious nature of balancing roles as both students, mentees, and researchers. In contrast, due to unforeseen campus closures, our undergraduates struggled to immerse themselves in the “college student experience,” while many remained at home.

Overall, this form of scholarship combats deficit-mindset-based approaches in literature by partnering with underrepresented students as collaborators to bridge the gap by promoting participatory action research and advancing equity in higher education. Finally, researchers open the conversation to go beyond the basic conceptualizations of supporting first-gen students in academia by discussing best practices for supporting and empowering this group of students throughout their education.

Authors

• Ana Guadalupe Vielma, University of Texas at Austin

• Ryan A. Mata, University of Minnesota

• Lauren M Badajos, University of Arizona