The 小蝌蚪APP will host a social media campaign, virtual panel discussion and Twitter chat for its students whose parents either didn小蝌蚪APP檛 pursue or didn小蝌蚪APP檛 complete a college degree program.
The efforts are part of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 weeklong 小蝌蚪APP淔irst To Geaux小蝌蚪APP initiative. It will begin with a social media campaign on Sunday, Nov. 8, which is National First-Generation Celebration Day. Colleges and universities are encouraged to recognize first-generation students, and promote awareness campaigns and initiatives to help them succeed.
The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 will lead a 小蝌蚪APP淔irst To Geaux小蝌蚪APP virtual panel discussion at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
First-generation students will share their experiences. Faculty and staff members 小蝌蚪APP including some who were first-generation students 小蝌蚪APP will share theirs, too. Participants will also trade information about campus resources, departments and programs.
First-generation students can also take part in a #FirstToGeaux Twitter chat at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12.
Dr. Taniecea A. Mallery, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 executive director of Strategic Initiatives and chief diversity officer, said the forums are different, but the intent is the same.
小蝌蚪APP淲e want to explore what it means to be a first-generation student, and give our first-generation students opportunities to talk about some of the challenges they face,小蝌蚪APP she explained.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, first-generation students are more likely to be from lower-income backgrounds, older than their fellow students, have families and hold full-time jobs.
They are also more likely to be less familiar with processes and procedures on college campuses, 小蝌蚪APP渢hings like how to access financial aid or stipends and navigate registration,小蝌蚪APP Mallery said.
小蝌蚪APP淣ew students often don小蝌蚪APP檛 know where to go, what questions to ask, or even who to ask them of. The problem is compounded for first-generation students, including graduate students. They haven小蝌蚪APP檛 grown up hearing about the college experience and may not be able to turn to their parents for advice.小蝌蚪APP
The 小蝌蚪APP淔irst To Geaux小蝌蚪APP is also designed to encourage networking among first-generation students.
小蝌蚪APP淪ometimes students forget 小蝌蚪APP or are embarrassed 小蝌蚪APP to seek direction from each other. It小蝌蚪APP檚 our responsibility to let them know they aren小蝌蚪APP檛 alone. About 25 percent of our students identify as first-generation. That小蝌蚪APP檚 a significant pool of knowledge,小蝌蚪APP Mallery said.
First-generation student Keilen Tauriac, a junior industrial technology major from New Iberia, La., understands the benefits of 小蝌蚪APP渇inding a mentor as quickly as possible.小蝌蚪APP As a freshman, he was befriended by a senior majoring in industrial technology who constantly offered advice, including after he graduated.
小蝌蚪APP淚 would recommend that all new students find someone in their field of study to show them the ropes. It makes a big difference if you have someone who小蝌蚪APP檚 been in your shoes to rely on,小蝌蚪APP Tauriac explained.
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Graphic credit: Mariah Scallan / 小蝌蚪APP