“Dropping Out is Not an Option”: How Educationally Resilient First-Generation Students See the Future

Abstract

First-generation college students (FGCS) often have different cultural values, practices, and goals from those of students from college-going families. As they navigate college, FGCS coordinate these values, practices, and goals with those of their families, noncollege-going friends, and communities. We draw on longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of FGCS attending a public university in California to address three research questions: (1) What challenges do FGCS face in their transition to and through college?; (2) What resources do they use to surmount these challenges?; and (3) What is the association between FGCS' resources and challenges and their academic persistence and career goals? Results showed that FGCS who surmounted challenges and persisted toward graduation had emotional support from family and friends from home; developed supportive relationships with university peers, staff, and faculty; and believed that college would allow them to attain their future life and career goals.

“You Never Become Fully Independent”: Family Roles and Independence in First-Generation College Students

“…Like Bella and Melanie, students described their role as listeners, confidants, emotional caretakers, and advocates. Prior research has discussed the different types of support FG students receive from family members (Azmitia et al, 2018; Bui, 2002; Nichols & Islas, 2016; Palbusa & Gauvain, 2017; Sy, Fong, Carter, Boehme, & Alpert, 2011), but has not fully documented the emotional support offered by students to families. These findings suggest that family support is a reciprocal process among students and their family members.…”

“…Some services included peer advising and mentoring, free printing, financial support in the form of emergency funds for housing and food, summer bridge programs, graduate and professional school workshops, a textbook lending library, a research experience program, and other critical services related to holistic student development. Because of the high cost of living in the surrounding city, students often struggle with food and housing insecurities (Azmitia et al, 2018). Although the programs listed provide some support toward these challenges, there is much room for growth in supporting students financially in order to be able to thrive in the classroom and on campus.…”

“…Rogoff (2014) described the process of “pitching in” as children striving to become valued members of their families and communities by learning to help care for siblings and contributing to household chores through observation and practice. This work highlights how engaging in family roles draws families closer together, promotes well-being, and fosters educational resilience (Azmitia et al, 2018).…”

“…This central focus on family is an important consideration in FG student matriculation and persistence in college (Engle & Tinto, 2008). For many reasons, FG students find it more challenging to persist in college relative to their continuing-generation (CG) college counterparts (i.e., students with at least one 4-year college-educated parent/guardian; Azmitia, Sumabat-Estrada, Cheong, & Covarrubias, 2018; Langenkamp & Shifrer, 2018; Stephens, Hamedani, & Destin, 2014). In a longitudinal study, Ishitani (2003) found that FG students were 71% more likely not to continue at the university after their first year compared to CG students (see also Pratt, Harwood, Cavazos, & Ditzfeld, 2017).…”

Nursing students’ resilience, depression, well‐being, and academic distress: Testing a moderated mediation model

“…Resilient nursing students may be particularly equipped to manage the psychological and academic demands of nursing school. For example, numerous studies have linked greater resilience to academic success in the general college student body (Ayala & Manzano, 2018; Azmitia, Sumabat‐Estrada, Cheong, & Covarrubias, 2018; Hsu, 2010; Johnson, Taasoobshirazi, Kestler, & Cordova, 2015; Maddi, Harvey, Khoshaba, Fazel, & Resurreccion, 2009). Likewise, a growing body of researchers have begun to examine resilience among nursing students, with findings generally supporting a positive correlation between resilience and academic success in nursing schools in the United States and internationally (Cleary et al., 2018; Stephens, 2013; Thomas & Asselin, 2018; Thomas & Revell, 2016).…”