College for a New Generation
Angela Hope, Writer
August 31, 2010
Filed under Student Life & News, Top Stories
According to the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) a first generation student is any student whose parents have not obtained a bachelor’s degree. By this definition this includes not only this class, but approximately 30% of the day students at Catawba. If you were to tweak that definition to the offspring of parents who have never attempted secondary education this would apply to approximately 18% of Catawba’s day student population.
The hope is that this program will provide a great experience for future First Generation Students at Catawba. Several members of the faculty collaborated last year and applied for a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges that would help create and fund this program.
The Council of Independent Colleges Wal-Mart College Success Award offered twenty institutions awards of $100,000 and ten institutions awards of $50,000 to be used over the course of two academic years. Catawba was fortunate enough to receive the $100,000 reward thanks to the initiative of Carla Eastis, Carl Girelli, Dan Sullivan, Steve Coggin, and Maria Vandergriff-Avery.
The program that Catawba has established specifically for this year’s First Generation (First Gen) students is unique and, according to Vandergriff-Avery, could be helpful to all students starting college.
“We can’t make assumptions about First Generation Students. They don’t fit under an umbrella” remarks Vandergriff-Avery about her FYS students. “The bottom line is we are a very diverse group.”
NextGen FYS instructor Dr. Vandergriff-Avery
That’s right; Vandergriff-Avery is a First Gen herself. The program was structured around the idea of finding a group of people who would understand each other’s experiences. This Next Gen FYS course will be taught by a faculty member who is pursuing the tenure track or is tenured and was a First Gen student themselves.
Vandergriff-Avery was very excited about being able to teach this FYS course. “My mom wanted me to go to college, but had no way to relate or identify with what I was going through. I get these students. I have been them, just because their parents don’t know doesn’t mean they don’t care. Their parents just are not able to relate.” Vandergriff-Avery remarked, then chuckles, “These are my peeps” referring to her FYS class.
NextGen FYS Alphas and Teaching Fellows Lizzle Davis and Julie Gilley
The FYS course has, in recent years, provided each class with Alphas during the orientation process. Lizzle Davis and Julie Gilley, are assisting with the Next Gen FYS course for this year, “First in the Family.” Both of these students helped the Next Gen FYS during orientation as their Alphas and are staying with them through the semester as their Teaching Fellows.
Dan Sullivan, Dean of Students at Catawba College remarked “The First Gen. Grant will allow us to model a program for a majority of our students.” The purpose of the program is not to make a student stand out, or have their parents feel inadequate. It is to provide these students with a knowledge base that might not have been available at home.
“If your dad works at a bank, you are more than likely fiscally responsible in comparison to if your dad was a coach, you’d know more about sports.” Sullivan explains. If you are aware of the stories and experiences your parents had in college, you have a better foothold than those students who do not.
“We are attempting to level the field for these students” says Vandergriff-Avery. That is the purpose of this program, to develop resources and a network for these students, and their parents through every step of the college process.
When asked how helping in this project has affected her outlook as a First Gen. student, Vandergriff-Avery replied “Hearing about the numbers helped me change my perspective about our students. Our private college status appeals to more First Generation Students because of its smaller size and what we have to offer.”
Bradley Boaz, a junior history major at Catawba stated, “I’m the first Boaz to get a degree. My parents were adamant about a college education. I didn’t have a choice about going, just where I went. I chose Catawba for me. There is a lot of pressure to succeed when you are the first. This program could really help students get a good start.”
Brandi Cockerham mentions her enthusiasm, “I’m excited for this year’s First Gen. Students. I wish I could’ve been a part of it, but Catawba helped me through a lot of the things I couldn’t learn from my parents. This is just Catawba expanding on what they can help students with.”
Jake Krug, a student in the Next Gen FYS course shared his viewpoints, “I didn’t have anyone to talk to about Financial Aid, or the admissions process, my parents and I went through the whole experience together.” Krug went on to say how it is challenging to be the first to break the mold, but said that it is possible. Krug mentions that he was originally registered for J. Michael Bitzer’s FYS group before he was offered this course by Vandergriff-Avery. He chose this particular FYS because he hopes to help his brother Jesse who is a junior in high school. “I realized this might help my experience and assist me when I need to help my brother.”
Next Gen FYS student Jake Krug
Krug is focusing on a double major in vocal performance and theatre arts. Paul Oakley, the associate director of music at Catawba, was always around his high school, and Dennis Jewitt, adjunct professor in the music department at Catawba, was choir director for 3 years. Both these men helped encourage Krug to attend at Catawba. “I’m fourth generation immigrant, of Italian and German descent; I’m the first in my family to attempt a four year degree. My cousin went to a college in New York, and I had an uncle on mom’s side who attended a state university, but this is it.”
Krug states also “I don’t feel singled out. By putting a bunch of us together who are in the same boat, we are given a family to exchange our experiences. I felt singled out at first, felt like my family was stupid, but it was a humbling experience at the same time. All the hard work is paying off, this class is a supplement to that experience.”
Loading ...
AWESOME COURSE!! Wish this had been offered when I was a Freshman! Way to go, Dr. V-A!
[Reply]
ahbanks Reply:
September 8th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Glad your excited Lindsey! Thanks for the feedback.
[Reply]