Celebrating First Gen Students

November 8th is National First Generation College Student Day, a time to celebrate students who are the first in their families to attend college. I think a single day is simply not enough.

Being the first to do something comes with excitement and some level of trepidation. First generation college students excel in college because many have already tapped into their time management superpower. Having honed their strategy in high school, they learned to balance taking care of younger siblings, practicing a sport, working at a local restaurant, and excelling in school. Often, they are motivated to attend college because they want to give back to their community as a teacher, a doctor, a public health advocate, a legislator, a wetlands or wildlife specialist. First generation college students call on new skills as they chart their postsecondary path and navigate the college campus. All the buildings, the many programs and services, the seemingly non-stop social events. It can be hard to know what to do, what to pass up, and who to turn to for help.

First generation students are one of the main reasons why we developed Success Prints Crash Course®. Knowing how valuable each visit with an advisor is, we thought it was important that players were introduced to higher education’s superheroes, especially since these awesome people are called ‘counselor’ in high school. How would a first generation college student —or any student for that matter — know that in the three months between high school graduation and college matriculation these people would have a title change?

This is just one example of how higher education’s language can trip up students, especially first generation college students. For example, what is a Bursar? The Office of the Bursar is a pretty important place if it is where you pay your tuition and fees in order to remain in good financial standing.

For rural first generation college students, the college campus, with all its buildings and courtyards, can feel like a maze of epic proportion. Add to this, all the student support offices, randomly interspersed in this building and that one, it can be downright overwhelming.

For this reason, Tabletop University’s quadrangle (the mythical university at which Success Prints Crash Course® is set) is populated with campus services. Each week four new programs and services are revealed. Players learn about the Accessibility Office (necessary for all students who had an IEP or 504 designation in high school) and the Writing Center. Players may choose to spend time at the Financial Literacy office or in the Library. Each campus resource has its own unique benefit that players can leverage in their strategic use of time. Just like in real life.

We’ve had the great fortune of playing Success Prints Crash Course® with high school students all over Montana (where we are located). A student who would be the first in their family to attend college had this to say about the game:

When I first played the game it really opened my eyes and made me wanna go to college.

What’s important in supporting first generation college students is taking the time to address their questions and concerns. Success Prints Crash Course® provides a space in which to have these conversations. The student, whose quote is above, when asked what questions or concerns they had about next steps in their education responded:

What could I do to make time for all the notes and different classes without being left behind?

Within this question is a concern about learning strategies but also time management, the centerpiece of game play. One of the goals in creating Success Prints Crash Course® was to give parents, teachers, and counselors a starting point to talk with students. It was also to give students a chance to play and practice the game of college before the consequences are real. A chance to test their time management strategy when the worst thing that could happen is a ‘do over’ and ‘play again’. Play allows first generation college students a place to practice in order to perfect.

First generation college students are smart and resourceful. The possess many tools to craft their college success. On this National First Generation College Student Week, I wish to say:

We see you first generation college students.

We are here to cheer your successes. We are here to help when you stumble.

We support you every step of the way.