UW-Green Bay Honored for Commitment to First-Generation Student Success | WTAQ News Talk | 97.5 FM · 1360 AM | Green Bay, WI
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — The Center for First-Generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation, announced the advancement of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to the First Scholars phase of the First Scholars Network.
UW-Green Bay was chosen based on its demonstrated commitment to advancing the outcomes of first-generation students through improving both first-generation student success initiatives and institution-wide approaches.
“We are honored to be selected as a First Scholars Institution by the Center for First-Generation Student Success. We pride ourselves in empowering all of our students through the education we provide,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “It is exciting for us to be recognized for helping students who have never had a parent or guardian graduate college. As an access institution, this is an important way we can show we are making a difference to the lives of our students and the communities they return to after they graduate.”
Powered by the Center for First-Generation Student Success, the First Scholars Network is a four-phase approach that allows institutions of higher education to advance outcomes by establishing communities of practice, gaining knowledge of resources, and establishing peer networks.
To date, 349 institutions of higher education have entered the Network, representing 49 states and the District of Columbia. The Center recently announced a commitment to serving over 700 institutions through the Network in the next five years.
UW-Green Bay has been selected to join the third phase of the Network journey—First Scholars. This phase signals an unprecedented commitment to serving first-generation students.
Nationally, the gap between first-generation and multi-generation students who persist to graduation is about 30%. At UW-Green Bay, that number is in the single digits.
“Most of what we do is available for all students, but we design programs in a way that we hit on the unique needs of first-generation students,” said Erin Van Daalwyk, Dean of Students at UW-Green Bay. “Because we know it’s going to help them, and it’s going to help everyone else, too.”
Over 50% of UW-Green Bay students are first-generation students; who are able to participate in programs such as Gateways to Phoenix Success, First Gen Phoenix Student Organization, The Mentoring Project, and more.
Gateways to Phoenix Success is an extension of UW-Green Bay’s first year seminar program. It gives first-generation students additional connections to the learning center, career services, additional touchpoints to academic advising, financial wellness programming, and more.
First Gen Phoenix Student Organization meets during the school year on Tuesdays. The organization is dedicated to supporting first-generation college students through skill development, resources, and building connections. Their mission is to help students feel confident in who they are by providing them with the essential tools they need to thrive at the university.
The Mentoring Project connects first-generation students to professional mentors in the community. Students meet with their mentor throughout the course of the semester; weather in-person, online, or via phone to get connected to a career path. The program started for Cofrin School of Business majors, and has since expanded to include students majoring in Education, Human Biology, or Public and Environmental Affairs.
To learn more about first-generation efforts at UW-Green Bay, visit www.uwgb.edu/first-gen/. To learn more about the First Scholars Network and the Center for First-generation Student Success, visit firstgen.naspa.org.
