New 第一代联盟 offers support to first-generation students at Oxy

资深Jazmin Calderon-Arreola, a Spanish studies major with minors in public health and kinesiology, 是她家里第一个上大学的人吗. 正因为如此, she had no idea what to expect—she didn’t know anyone who could share their experience or prepare her for what college life would be like.

“My lack of knowledge about how college works made my transition more difficult,” she says. “I was unaware of the available resources and opportunities, and I didn’t know how to ask for help. 我必须自己在这个系统中摸索.”

For first-gen students—any student whose parents or guardians did not complete a four-year college degree—things that others take for granted represent totally uncharted territory. Approaching faculty or College offices can be especially intimidating.

“As a first-gen student there’s a sense of isolation and worry because you feel like everyone else knows things that you don’t—like everyone is ahead and you’re behind. 像我这样的, 许多第一代学生也是BIPOC[黑人], Indigenous and people of color] and/or from low-income households, which adds more challenges to being successful in college.”

埃里克·克萨达，09级，十大正规网赌平台院长 邻里伙伴计划 他自己也是第一代学生，对此表示赞同.

“First-gen students experience life a little differently,” he says. “他们并不总是有最好的支持系统. 回想我自己在奥施康定的经历，生活很艰难. 我没有意识到这并不一定是常态.”

5月, during a 学生事务 meeting in which a then-theoretical remote fall semester was being discussed, Quezada posed the question of what Oxy would be doing for its first-generation students, 占2024届学生总数的16%. 他们不仅要适应大学生活, 还可以远程访问, 在线学习和社区建设.

It began a series of enthusiastic conversations and summer meetings that gave rise to the 第一代联盟 (FGC)，由克萨达和 员工、学生和教职员工 who share a desire to serve and support these members of the Oxy community.

“我们全力投入, 和re’s a lot of good energy in the group as we think about how to support these students and hear from them about what they want to see,克萨达说.

到目前为止, FGC has planned and hosted a number of workshops and events specifically for first-gen students. It hosted a welcome event for incoming first-years during Orientation. 计划举办秋季活动, 包括关于学术咨询如何运作的会议, a special writing workshop and a social mixer to help first-gen students connect.

First-gen students at Oxy have always advocated for themselves, Quezada说, 弄清楚如何与资源和支持联系. But in these unprecedented times of pandemic and remote learning, he sees it as critical for the College to take a more proactive approach.

“I see this new opportunity as a way to get ahead of students’ needs,” he explains. “The 第一代联盟 is our effort to finally institutionalize first-gen support at Oxy, 永久.”

除了与FGC合作, Calderon-Arreola has worked to revive the student-led First Gen Club at Oxy, which languished following the graduation of its leadership in 2018. The club is intended to provide academic and social support, and foster a welcoming environment to share experiences and create a peer support system.

“In my time at Oxy I’ve witnessed an immense need for support for first-gen students,” she says. “They are hardworking and persevering, and have always supported and advocated for each other. But in the past there has been little to no institutional support at Oxy for first-gen students.”

Luci Masredjian是 残疾人服务 and student support at Oxy, is a first-gen student and a member of FGC. She says there are psychological barriers for these students, 包括感觉自己不属于这里. So it’s not simply a matter of finding the right resources, 而是知道资源是存在的, and having confidence that they will apply to them 和ir particular situation.

“Having resources designated specifically for first-gen students is critical,” she says. “我仍然因为填写FAFSA表格而有创伤后应激障碍! My parents were immigrants and my mom would have no idea what the answers to the questions were, 所以我就即兴发挥了一下. 这也是我们很多学生的感受.”

Other ongoing events sponsored by FGC include a first-gen support group, 非正式上门咨询, 和 老虎访问计划, 哪一个介绍了传统上代表性不足, first-generation and/or low-income students to Oxy’s academic and residential community.

“还有其他的研讨会正在计划中, with topics including financial literacy and imposter syndrome,卡尔德隆-阿雷奥拉说. “We welcome student feedback and try to plan our workshops around what students want to know about.”

Seeing many people from departments and offices across the college that are committed to helping first-gen students through FGC has been very satisfying, Calderon-Arreola补充道. 她努力实现前任们的愿景, she loves getting positive feedback from current first-gen students and seeing how excited they are that an organization to support them has been established.

“I hope that the First Gen Coalition can continue to establish a support system for first-gen students, 让他们在校园里更显眼, and lift the weight of teaching themselves and others about college.”