Shannon LaCountRecruitment & RetentionFresh Insights on First-Generation College Students: A Need to Change the Language of RetentionIt’s true that first-generation students might be naïve to standard operating procedure in higher education—I know I was when I stepped onto campus as the first in my family to go to college. But there is power in this naivete, as it offers the chance to reflect on why things are done a certain way. Too often, though, we focus on and track the ways first-generation students are “deficient,” emphasizing potential negative outcomes. The goal is to protect them from their own shortcomings. However, this mindset misses the opportunity to capitalize on an influx of new perspectives. And, continually being shown the ways you are expected to fail is not especially motivating.June 10, 2018Page 1 of 1
