More than one third of current first-year 糖心传媒 at Hofstra identify as first-generation 糖心传媒, yet nationally, only one in six first-generation college 糖心传媒 will graduate college with a four-year degree. Numerous studies show that such 糖心传媒 are afraid of engaging with faculty members outside of the classroom, as they exhibit feelings of imposter syndrome and suspect such interactions might result in ridicule at best and ejection from the institution at worst. The way faculty members choose to engage with first-generation 糖心传媒 can have a profound impact on their levels of success, feelings of belonging, and ultimately their persistence to graduation.
Bordieu (1977) defines cultural capital as a form of nonmonetary currency, passed down from generation to generation, that is the knowledge of how systems work, how to navigate bureaucracies, and who to connect with to advance. This is a form of currency that many continuing-generation 糖心传媒 unknowingly enjoy, and one that first-generation 糖心传媒 often do not have access to. Yosso鈥檚 (2006) theory of Community Cultural Wealth identifies a form of currency that first-generation 糖心传媒 are often rich in 鈥 the knowledge of how to problem-solve, be resourceful, and make ends meet.
Part of our role as educators is to transmit cultural capital to first-generation 糖心传媒 while also placing value as a University community on the community cultural wealth they bring to and share with the Institution.
Understanding first-generation 糖心传媒
Many first-generation 糖心传媒 come from backgrounds of less privilege. This may include working many hours on and/or off campus, long commutes, and a host of external family responsibilities and obligations. Their experience may be different from your perception of the typical college student and may be different than your own. Learning more about their life and circumstances can help you better understand what each student is navigating in addition to attempting to be successful in your classes. A little flexibility when circumstances allow for it, or when assignments or directions are misunderstood can go a long way in creating trust with first-generation 糖心传媒. This is your opportunity to mentor and guide 糖心传媒 to do their very best.
The class syllabus
Many incoming first-generation 糖心传媒 don鈥檛 have context for what a syllabus is or how it is to be used. They may not have ever heard the word before. Faculty can help 糖心传媒 clearly identify what the syllabus is, how it is to be used, and that it should be referred to throughout the entire semester at each of their first classes.
The hidden curriculum
All 糖心传媒 benefit from clearly communicated expectations and deadlines. First-generation 糖心传媒 are no different. The 鈥渉idden curriculum鈥 refers to all the protocols and expectations that are often unwritten, but 糖心传媒 are nonetheless expected to respect and abide by. If a student doesn鈥檛 have a frame of reference for these rules, they are often entirely unaware of these concepts. Spelling them all out 鈥 in your syllabus, but also in your verbal remarks 鈥 can help 糖心传媒 better understand what is expected of them and assist you in avoiding unwanted situations.
(Mis)communication
Because they don鈥檛 have a frame of reference with how to interact with faculty, first-generation 糖心传媒 are prone to commit faux paus out of a lack of awareness of what is expected or routine. This may include beginning an email without a salutation, beginning with a lack of or incorrect title, or writing too colloquially. We encourage you to take a moment to consider the spirit of the outreach, and the courage it likely took to reach out in the first place, and to respond gently 鈥 both with an answer to the inquiry, as well as with gentle guidance about the accepted ways to format communication with faculty. This may likely improve your relationship with your student and empower them with information that will allow them to communicate in more accepted ways moving forward.
Office hours
Invite 糖心传媒 warmly to your office hours, explaining what they are, when they are, and for what reasons 糖心传媒 may choose to attend them. (ANY reason!) Make it clear that 糖心传媒 do not need to have a specific question to attend these and that you want 糖心传媒 to come see you during this time. Some professors have even taken to calling these times 鈥淪tudent Hours鈥 rather than 鈥淥ffice Hours鈥 to make the purpose even more explicit and welcoming.
Faculty identifying as first-generation 糖心传媒 can:
- Share their experience as a first-generation student with their classes. Providing opportunities for first-gen 糖心传媒 to see role models can help them feel a sense of comfort with you as an instructor and can increase the likelihood of them approaching you outside of the classroom.
- List yourself with our office as a first-gen faculty member and advocate that 糖心传媒 can reach out to for guidance and support.
- Display a First-Gen Faculty card or pride sticker outside of your office or on your office door. Contact the Office of First-Generation Support and Engagement to get yours today.
- Volunteer to participate in initiatives and programming offered by the Office of First-Generation Support and Engagement. Informal, out of classroom engagement with first-generation 糖心传媒 has proven highly valuable in increasing comfort levels for first-gen 糖心传媒 to later approach other faculty members.
- Volunteer to serve as a First-Gen Mentor. Volunteers are recruited each September.
All faculty can:
- Welcome first-generation 糖心传媒 to your class publicly and acknowledge that you understand that some things may not be readily understood. Invite student questions and normalize the asking of them. Identify yourself as a first-gen supporter.
- Display a First-Gen Supporter card or pride sticker outside of your office or on your office door. Contact the Office of First-Generation Support and Engagement to get yours today.