Welcome to the new AACRAO website. While the site is live, development is ongoing, visitors can expect updates and new features in the weeks ahead.

Mobile Nav
Log in
Join
Get Involved

You must be logged in to view this content. Please login or learn more about joining AACRAO. If you have any questions or experience any issues logging in, please reach out to us atmembership@aacrao.org.

Log In Join

Topics

Article Type

Professional Proficiency

Competency

,

Article Abstract

Related Issue:

This study explored the experiences of first-generation students at Bentley University, a private, business-focused institution. Through semi-structured interviews with eleven students, the research identifies common challenges and highlights the impact of university policies and programs on their success. The findings emphasize the need for tailored support for this growing demographic.

Author(s)

Aimee Leturmy has more than 20 years of experience working in higher
education. She is currently the Assistant Provost for Academic Operations
& University Registrar at Bentley University. Prior to joining Bentley in
2022, she held various roles in Florida State University’s Registrar’s Office,
including senior associate registrar from 2016 to 2022. She earned a Doctor of
Education in educational leadership and policy from FSU, a Master of Arts in
exercise and sport science from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in
sport management from FSU.

Leturmy started her career in college athletics in athletics media relations
at Southern Methodist University. After earning her master’s degree, she
worked in the Athletics Compliance office at the University of Central Florida
Athletic Association. She joined the FSU Registrar’s Office in 2007 as the
athletics eligibility officer, managing NCAA rules compliance for university
athletics certification.

In addition to her employment experiences, Leturmy served as the Vice
President for Member Relations and Communication of the Florida Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (FACRAO) and has become actively
involved with AACRAO.

References

Almeida, D. J., A. M. Byrne, R. M. Smith, and S. Ruiz. 2021. How relevant is grit? The importance of social capital in first-generation college students’ academic success. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. 23(3): 539–559.

Alon, S., and M. Tienda. 2005. Assessing the ‘mismatch’ hypothesis: Differences in college graduation rates by institutional selectivity. Sociology of Education. 78(4): 294–315.

Astin, A. W. 1984. Student involvement: A theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development. 25: 297–308.

Atherton, M. C. 2014. Academic preparedness of first-generation college students: Different perspectives. Journal of College Student Development. 55(8): 824–829.

Beckert, J. 2010. Institutional isomorphism revisited: Convergence and divergence in institutional change. Sociological Theory. 28(2): 150–166.

Bel Scanlon, M. 2020. Analyzing Factors in Student Support Programs Contributing to Academic Success of First-Generation College Students (doctoral dissertation). University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL.

Bettencourt, G. M., K. E. Mansour, M. Hedayet, P. T. Feraud-King, K. J. Stephens, M. M. Tejada, and E. Kimball. 2022. Is first-gen an identity? How first-generation college students make meaning of institutional and familial constructions of self. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice. 24(2): 271–289.

Brookover, D. L, E. M. Hanley, R. Boulden, and K. F. Johnson. 2021. ‘I want to be a first’: Student, family, and school factors influencing first-generation student college readiness. School Community Journal. 31(1): 41–65.

Burkholder, G. J, J. Lenio, N. Holland, A. Seidman, and D. Neal. 2013. An institutional approach to developing a culture of student persistence. Higher Learning Research Communications. 3(3): 16–39.

Center for First-Generation Student Success. 2019. First-Generation College Students: Demographic Characteristics and Postsecondary Enrollment. Washington, D.C.: NASPA.

Center for First-Generation Student Success. 2020. First-Generation College Graduates: Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Use of Career Planning Services. Washington, D.C.: NASPA.

Chen, X. 2005. First-Generation Students in Postsecondary Education: A Look at Their College Transcripts. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics.

Covarrubias, R., and S. A. Fryberg. 2015. Movin’ on up (to college): First-generation college students’ experiences with family achievement guilt. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. 21(3): 420–429.

Covarrubias, R., A. Romero, and M. Trivelli. 2015. Family achievement guilt and mental well-being of college students. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 24(7): 2031–2037.

DiMaggio, P. J., and W. W. Powell. 1983. The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review. 48(2): 147.

Engle, J., and V. Tinto. 2008. Moving Beyond Access: College Success for Low-Income, First-Generation Students. Washington, D.C.: Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity for Higher Education.

Fowler, B. 1997. Pierre Bourdieu and Cultural Theory. London, U.K.: Sage Publications, Ltd.

Furquim, F., K. M. Glasener, M. Oster, B. P. McCall, and S. L. DesJardins. 2017. Navigating the financial aid process: Borrowing outcomes among first-generation and non-first-generation students. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 671(1): 69–91.

Gurin, P., A. N. Biren, and X. Zuniga. 2013. Dialogue Across Difference: Practice, Theory, and Research on Intergroup Dialogue. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Henrichs, H. 2023. New York Times ranks Bentley no. 4 in the nation for earning after graduation. Newsroom (Bentley University). April 4.

Hossler, D. 2014. Origins of Strategic Enrollment Management. In Handbook of Strategic Enrollment Management, edited by D. Hossler and B. Bontrager. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.

Ishitani, T. 2016. First generation students’ persistence at four-year institutions. College and University. 91(3): 22–35.

Latino, C. A., G. Stegmann, J. Radunzel, J. D. Way, E. Sanchez, and A. Casillas. 2020. Reducing gaps in first-year outcomes between Hispanic first-generation college students and their peers: The role of accelerated learning and financial aid. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice. 22(3): 441–463.

Lohfink, M. M., and M. B. Paulsen. 2005. Comparing the determinants of persistence for first-generation and continuing-generation students. Journal of College Student Development. 46(4): 409–428.

Merriam, S. B. 1998. Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications in Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers

Monday, D. S. 2022. First-Generation College Students Face Unique Challenges. Brookings Institution. April 24.

Morse, R., and E. Brooks. 2020. How U.S. News calculated the 2021 best colleges rankings. U.S. News & World Report. September 13.

O’Connor, L. E., J. W. Berry, J. Weiss, D. Schweitzer, and M. Sevier. 2000. Survivor guilt, submissive behaviour, and evolutionary theory: The down-side of winning in social comparison. British Journal of Medical Psychology. 72: 519–530.

Olson, J. S. 2014. Opportunities, obstacles, and options: First-generation college graduates and social cognitive career theory. Journal of Career Development. 41(3): 199–217.

Padgett, R. D., M. P. Johnson, and E. T. Pascarella. 2012. First-generation undergraduate students and the impacts of the first year of college: Additional evidence. Journal of College Student Development. 53(2): 243–266.

Pascarella, E. T., C. T. Pierson, G. C. Wolniak, and P. T. Terenzini. 2004. First generation college students—Additional evidence on college experiences & outcomes. The Journal of Higher Education. 75(3): 249–284.

Paterno, S. 2021. College rankings have fueled an arms race that pushed higher education astray. The Washington Post. August 6.

Potter, D., D. Jayne, and S. Britt. 2020. Financial anxiety among college students: The role of generational status. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning. 31(2): 284–295.

Rehr, T. I., E. P. Regan, Z. Abukar, and J. C.A. Meshelemiah. 2022. Financial wellness of first-generation college students. College Student Affairs Journal. 40(1): 90–105.

Reynolds, J., and S. Cruise. 2020. Factors that influence persistence among undergraduate students: An analysis of the impact of socioeconomic status and first-generation students. Interchange. 51(2): 199–206.

Richards, B. N. 2022. Help-seeking behaviors as cultural capital: Cultural guides and the transition from high school to college among low-income first generation students. Social Problems. 69(1): 241–260.

Riddle, E. S., M. T. Niles, and A. Nickerson. 2020. Prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity across an entire campus population. PLoS ONE. 15(8).

Salvesen, C. 2019. Bait-and-Switch: The Consequences of Financial Aid Loss in the Second Year of College (doctoral dissertation). University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

Schroeder, R. 2021. A second demographic cliff adds urgency for change. Inside Higher Ed. May 19.

Schwartz, S. E. O., S. S. Kanchewa, J. E. Rhodes, G. Gowdy, A. M. Stark, J. P. Horn, M. Parnes, and R. Spencer. 2018. ‘I’m having a little struggle with this, can you help me out?’: Examining impacts and processes of a social capital intervention for first-generation college students. American Journal of Community Psychology. 61(1–2): 166–178.

Stephens, N. M., M. Y. G. Hamedani, and M. Destin. 2014. Closing the social-class achievement gap: A difference-education intervention improves first-generation students’ academic performance and all students’ college transition. Psychological Science. 25(4): 943–953.

Stephens, N. M., S. S. M. Townsend, M. Y G. Hamedani, M. Destin, and V. Manzo. 2015. A difference-education intervention equips first-generation college students to thrive in the face of stressful college situations. Psychological Science. 26(10): 1556–1566.

Stieha, V. 2010. Expectations and experiences: The voice of a first-generation first-year college student and the question of student persistence. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. 2(2): 237–249.

Strayhorn, T. L. 2006. Factors influencing the academic achievement of first-generation college students. NASPA Journal. 43(4): 82–111.

Terenzini, P. T, L. Springer, P. M Yaeger, E. T Pascarella, and A. Nora. 1996. First generation college students: Characteristics, experiences, and cognitive development. Research in Higher Education. 37.

Tinto, V., and B. Pusser. 2006. Moving From Theory to Action: Building a Model of Institutional Access for Student Success. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics.

Vargas, J. H. 2004. College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to College. Boston: The Education Resources Institute (TERI).

Warburton, E. C, R. Bugarin, A.M. Nuñez, and C. D. Carroll. 2001. Bridging the Gap: Academic Preparation and Postsecondary Success of First-Generation Students. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics.

Whipple, S. S., and V. Dimitrova-Grajzl. 2021. Grit, fit, gender, and academic achievement among first-year college students. Psychology in the Schools. 58(2): 332–350.

Whitley, S. E, G. Benson, and A. Wesaw. 2018. First-Generation Student Success: A Landscape Analysis of Programs and Services at Four-Year Institutions. Washington, D.C.: NASPA.

Wibrowski, C. R., W. K. Matthews, and A Kitsantas. 2017. The tole of a skills learning support program on first-generation college students’ self-regulation, motivation, and academic achievement: A longitudinal study. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice. 19(3): 317–332.

Wildhagen, T. 2015. Not your typical student’: The social construction of the ‘first-generation’ college student. Qualitative Sociology. 38(3): 285–303.

Williams, Q., B. M. Williams, and L C. Brown. 2022. Exploring Black girl magic: Identity development of Black first-gen college women. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 15(4): 466–479.

Related Posts

See all Posts