First-Generation Portals: Looking at the Steps of a First-Generation College Student Lindsey Allison // INLS 737
The journey to higher education is often viewed through statistics, with an analysis of an incoming class being displayed as average test scores or the number of scholarships attained. As universities isolate this stance, they miss the unique narrative that each individual student tells as they step foot on their college campus. Their journeys tell of the lives lived and the obstacles encountered in order to arrive at their destination. In the form of wooden miniatures, this project looks specifically at the experiences of first-generation college students. The doorways, deemed as portals, show how students within this group face challenges related to different aspects of their identity, causing them to pivot directions as a way of entering the collegiate space. The doorway in the center prompts observers to notice the ongoing nature of many of these challenges as students continue from year to year, crossing through one doorway and into another. For many students, this journey through higher education is encased by a mixture of both constant and evolving social justice issues and inequities.
IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES
No two students walk the same path to or through higher education. There are countless combinations of challenges and circumstances that students find on their way from their first year to their final year at an institution. For this project, I examined many different studies and datasets to best gather the accurate narratives of first-generation students.
Students report facing challenges related to socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, family education levels, high school education levels, mental health, physical health, and work responsibilities. Many issues intersect and evolve with additional challenges that arise once the student comes onto campus, such as facing difficulties with faculty support, effective orientations, and student assistance (Reynolds & Cruise, 2020). Studies also identify out-of-state residency as a large factor in first-generation student attrition (D'Amico & Dika, 2013). As a result of being a first-generation student and an out-of-state student, many narratives identify a difficulty balancing the cultural shift between their life at home and their life once they enroll at a university.
“First-generation students may feel a cultural, social, and emotional disconnect from campus life, as they often cannot turn to family members to receive guidance navigating a potentially disorienting experience,” (Stebleton & Soria, 2013).
First-generation college students are also less likely to live on campus than their peers, meaning they do not receive the same opportunity to experience the new society and university culture as other students (Zuo et al., 2018). While many studies center on the academic success of first-generation college students, I believe this attention to social growth and engagement is also valuable in looking at the experiences of first-generation students.
DESIGN
After discovering that first-generation college students have statistically significant higher instances of the previously discussed factors affecting their academic careers, I wanted to create a tangible representation to depict some of the recurring themes that many students discussed, while also maintaining the individual nature of every first-generation experience. I was inspired to create portals atop of brick and hardwood flooring after reading of many narratives and having a conversation with my family while they were visiting my college campus. One family member made a comment comparing walking on a university campus to being transported to a whole new world. Another family member commented on the money and time that was committed to laying down the foundation of the campus alone. These comments, in conjunction with the narratives that spoke of difficulties settling into the newness of a university, led me to create portals in the shape of doorways with a foundation of flooring that is reminiscent of that found on many college campuses.
The four portals lining the corners of the project are representations of four distinct narratives. I used contrasting colors to mimic different social justice issues and obstacles that students have identified through time. Each pattern of obstacles is unique to the student’s own experience, while the recurrence of colors stimulates the idea that two students may experience the effects of the same issue. I connected the small wooden pieces to additionally speak to the concept of intersectionality, as the narratives of many first-generation students include experiences with racism and sexism, and their resulting encounters with other aspects of their identity (Crenshaw, 1989).
The steps and the door in the center came from the stories that develop after the freshman year of school. I wanted to show the continuous nature of the journey, and how there is always another doorway to step through, whether it be into the workforce or graduate studies. In considering the stationary nature that would arise from gluing this center door down, I decided to leave the door loose, allowing it to be moved from the center and closer to different portals. Some people have a long road to higher education, such as reentry students, and others may have a shorter experience, going from their undergraduate studies straight into graduate studies (Davis, 2010). I wanted these differences to be communicated through the design of the project.
COURSES OF ACTION
Many studies on first-generation college students focus heavily on undergraduate students, occasionally only targeting students in their first year at a university. While this type of research is incredibly valuable, this project seeks to raise questions about new areas of research that could be explored, such as first-generation graduate students and first-generation faculty members. A recent publication that I encountered, First-Generation Faculty of Color: Reflections on Research, Teaching, and Service, details the experiences of many first-generation faculty members of color, and highlights the need for a greater support system and collaboration in the face of racism.
“Engaging academia as a first-generation college student has been, and is, difficult. I remember the terrifying experience of sitting in a class as a first-year doctoral student with limited experience within academia. I often fought an internal battle with my subconscious, struggling between my default inclination to sit, listen, and soak up knowledge and the expectation that I contribute, question, and critique. After all, academia favors those who speak out and often who are the loudest. I wanted to contribute my perspectives, but I could not shake the feeling that my experiences did not matter or were not relevant because they were rarely reflected in the curriculum. As I developed critical and racial consciousness, it was still very rare for me to have deep, nuanced conversations about the experiences of Southeast Asian American communities outside of my own small circles. I still feel this as faculty,” (Buenavista et al., 2023).
In the future, I encourage faculty and staff of universities to engage with their first-generation students each semester by allowing them to bring their authentic perspective forward. This may require a process of building trust, building a protected environment, and creating new courses to meet the needs of students. One example may be to implement new ethnic studies courses that serve as counterspaces for first-generation students who experience marginalization in the larger university setting (Nuñez, 2011). These courses can also help students engage with one another and build a stronger sense of community.
I also encourage universities to appoint a librarian to be the first-generation librarian for students at their university, acting as a point of contact for students and professors who might want to connect a student to additional resources. This librarian might also assist by providing physical counterspaces for first-generation students to use for meetings, clubs, or study sessions.
Because every individual has their own story, I encourage universities to listen to the stories of their first-generation students and staff to best assess how to provide resources and create a more equitable environment for these individuals.