Area colleges provide services for first-generation students
Sophomore Mara Proie, vice president of California University’s TRIO Club, displays a sticker with a club motto.
Paul Paterra
California University of Pennsylvania TRIO Club members, from left, Jekai King, Nyiah Alderman, Alex Dalton, Tanisha Atherton and Mara Proie at a recent event held by the club in the school’s Natali Student Center
Maddie Sanders, a senior at California University of Pennsylvania, is a first-generation college student.
Maddie Sanders admits college for her was quite a life change.
The senior at California University of Pennsylvania was undertaking an experience that neither her parents nor her grandparents ever had. She is what is referred to as a first-generation student.
“It was definitely overwhelming,” Sanders said. “It was a new place, a new area.”
Jekai King, a junior at California University, is another first-generation student. He said his college experience, which started at Clarion University, was a major adjustment.
“I was 110% nervous.” King said. “The simple questions that most students would have had answered, they were completely brand new to me.”
The formal definition of a first-generation college student is someone whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree. Local colleges have programs in place to help these students.
At Cal U., about 30% of the school’s first-year students (freshmen and transfer students) are first-generation. Seventy of Washington & Jefferson College’s 350 first-year students are first generation, and a typical year at Waynesburg College would find about 20 to 25% of the traditional undergraduate population to be first-generation students.
Presidents of the three local colleges – Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, interim president at California University, Dr. John Knapp at W&J and Douglas Lee at Waynesburg – each were first-generation college students.
“I understand, and so does my husband, who’s also a first-generation college student, what it means to be someone whose life was transformed through college,” Pehrsson said at a recent Women in Leadership Conference at Cal U.
Sanders credits a club called TRIO for aiding her with the college experience. The department states as its mission to foster students academic, social, cultural and career success through programming, support and academic services.
“I had TRIO to help me get my bearings,” Sanders said. “They have an open-door policy, so I was always there.”
King said he first got involved with TRIO while a student in the McKeesport Area School District.
“My favorite part of TRIO was having my own person that I could go and talk to and just ask any question that I could think of – questions I would think would be too dumb to ask a regular person,” King said.
Similarly, the help for Sanders began when she was a student at Albert Gallatin High School.
“They taught me how to apply for colleges, things that my parents probably weren’t the best to ask for advice,” she said. “I probably wouldn’t have applied to Cal U. if it wasn’t for TRIO. I knew I would have a support system that my parents couldn’t provide.”
One of the original TRIO programs began at Cal U.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help students navigate the college system,” explained Laura Giachetti, TRIO director at California University. “We provide courses to students not only to have engagement with them, but also to have them academically prepared.”
Alex Dalton, who will graduate in May, is the president of TRIO at Cal U.
“Most clubs when you’re in college are either an academic club, a professional club or a social club. TRIO is actually all three of those,” Dalton said. “If you don’t have a parent who’s filled out the (federal student aid application) before or you don’t have a parent that’s been through the college process you have no idea what you are doing when you’re going through all of those papers. They’re going to help you with that.”
At W&J, LINK mentors provide peer support and guidance for first-year students.
Sophomore Madeline Heiser of Washington is a mentor who was assigned to the first-generation college student class called First in My Family. Each new first-year student must enroll in a First Year Seminar course, such as First in My Family.
“Throughout the semester, I work with these students,” Heiser explained. “I talk with them, establish relationships with them. I’ve been able to help them out and find a way to get to know them better. I feel that kind of provides a sense of comfort for them.”
The instructor for First in My Family is Dr. Kay McEvoy, herself once a first-generation college student.
“One thing I’ve learned talking to first-generation college students over the years is they often feel like they’re starting off behind the other students,” she said. “The focus of the class is not just to teach them how to be successful at college, but also introduce them to the notion that first-generation students actually do really well, that they have a lot to offer, they have every right to move ahead, they’ve earned their right to be here like everyone else. This gives them a support group because they’re surrounded by people like them.”‘
Eva Chatterlee-Sutton, vice president of student life and dean of students at Washington & Jefferson, said work starts with the first-generation students during the admissions process.
“We work really closely with our colleagues in admissions to understand who our first-generation students are coming in and work with them, helping to support them through course selection and housing selection,” she said.
Rachel Stalker is the assistant director of Career Pathways at W&J, as well as a Student Success Consultant. She provides students with access to professional experiences as they pursue their career goals.
“Part of our job as staff in the student life division is to present areas that might be challenging or present areas where they might need assistance before they might even know how to ask any question they may have,” she said. “We’re trying to be proactively informative about what the college experience is and what are some resources and things they might need.”
Programs at Waynesburg University to help first-generation students include the Pathways Center, a comprehensive student support service.
Seeds for Success aids in the transition to college life with programming for students and parents.
“Seeds for Success provides information about resources available to support students and families, both academically and socially,” said Stacey Brodak, Waynesburg’s vice president for institutional advancement and university relations.
Academic mentoring links volunteer faculty and staff members at all levels with students who are struggling academically.
“Mentors build relationships with students in the program and provide the advice, support and guidance that are critical in optimizing opportunities for success,” Brodak said.
Students who fall under the first-generation category have simple advice to others who may be considering college: Go for it.
“You can do it,” said Tanisha Atherton, a junior at Cal U. “When you come here you can be someone you never thought you would be. You’ll be able to succeed with the right people around you.”