First-Generation College Student
First-Generation College Students at OTC
Congratulations, and welcome to college! Perseverance, resilience, resourcefulness, and hard work have helped you make it this far. As a first-generation college student, this is a particularly important achievement. First-generation college students are those students whose parent(s) have not attained a college degree. These students, who have little or no family collegiate history, may enter a college with limited knowledge about the jargon, traditions, and patterns of expected behavior. These factors may prevent first-generation students from fully engaging in a college setting and may contribute to early departure from the campus before the completion of a degree. No matter how intelligent and capable, first-generation students may benefit from additional support as they adjust to a new environment. It can be helpful to learn more about what other first-generation students have experienced as well as what can be done to help maximize your performance and experience as you work towards attaining your degree.
First-Generation College Student Contact Information:
Kathy Christy or Cindy Phillips at 447-6964
Suggested Resources: Advice about college from first-generation students.
Cushman, K. (2006). First in the Family: Your College Years. Next Generation Press. Preview the book here. With permission from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center.
Who We Are: First-Generation College Students Speak Out
The First-Generation College Student's Experience
- How Might My College Experience Be Different?
- Recommendations for First-Generation College Students
- Recommendations for Family Members
Presentation Videos
- Amy Shelley-King-Consumer Credit Counseling-April 2009
- Gary Stafford-OTC Career Employment Services-March 2009
- Karla Rues-OTC Science Instructor-March 2009
- First-Generation Panel
- Rosa Kavanaugh-Interim Dean of General Education
- Ty Patterson-Vice-President of Student Services
- Craig Jamison-Thrive Student Centers
- Marissa Wolfe-FGCS Founder/Mathematics Instructor-September 2008
- Steve Fritts-Academic Advisor/Phi Theta Kappa Co-Advisor-November 2008
- Eloise Thomas-OTC Psychology Instructor-February 2009