Blog #7
1. Fostering Historically Underserved Students’ Success: An Embedded Peer Support Model that Merges NonCognitive Principles with Proven Academic Support Practices
Research question: What are the impacts of an embedded peer support model that carefully integrates non-cognitive and academic principles into a role that combines peer mentorship, supplemental instruction, and tutoring? Do those impacts on students vary according to race/ethnicity or Pell-eligible and first-generation status?
Method: The Course Assistant (CA) program’s design drew from applied research on student success, peer mentoring, and academic peer support. CAs were trained to provide the approach they would take when having questions about courses instead of giving students the answers to their questions. CAs helped students develop necessary study skills they might need for their college. CAs are very different from traditional graduate teaching assistants or undergraduate graders in this and other ways. 904 first-year students who enrolled in CA program at Nevada State College participated in this program. 58% received Pell grants (a proxy for low-income status), 72% are first-generation students, and 66% are from a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic minority group. They used these students’ results to compare those who did not join the program and have a similar demographic background.
Result: Students who took at least one course with a CA fared significantly better than those who did not regarding good academic standing, GPA, and one-term retention. Furthermore, there is a significant improvement among low-income, minority, and first-gen students. The existing literature indicates that all these elements and peer support can generally enhance students’ success and persistence in higher education by fostering their cognitive and non-cognitive development.
Summary: This study supports my idea that providing academic guidance from peer mentorship can improve minority first-gen college students’ ability in academic success.
(Tucker et al., 2020)
2. The First Ones: Three Studies on First-Generation College Students
Topic: The crucial contribution of the relationship with academic advisors for retaining first-generation college students (FGCS).
Hypothesis: Getting proper academic advising can help FGCS succeed better in college.
Method: Three independent qualitative research conducted across the U.S to demonstrate issues FGCSs face across race, gender, and type of school. The populations studied included graduate students at a 4-year public university, undergraduates at small private colleges, and Latinos at a 2-year institution. For the graduate research, they sought to learn how first-generation graduate students addressed and negotiated multiple identities, cultural transitions, and marginality within their family and academic cultures. The research on first-generation undergraduates in private schools explained the need to traverse the different worlds of home and school and how students cope with these issues. The first-generation Latinos 2-year college study tried to understand the experience of successful first-generation, first-year college Latinos to improve retention efforts at institutions with a significant population of Latinos.
Result: A common issue among all three research is the difficulty of negotiating family relationships. Students’ development depends on stages of interdependence from their families. FGCS also struggles with the pressure to stay connected with their families, fulfill their parents’ wishes by succeeding at school, and continue education without parental support. Although families may offer encouragement and financial aid, their inability to understandably relate to the college experience creates a unique and challenging situation for some
students. Cultural capital is the core of students’ feeling of belonging to campus. Deficient cultural capital explains the problems of students who come from different backgrounds. They did not accumulate the cultural capital needed to integrate or assimilate into the college setting. Many first-generation students come ill-equipped to navigate college because they lack insider knowledge of the unspoken expectations, specific languages, and hidden rules that students with college-educated parents can leverage.
Summary: The study suggests some ways we can improve the overall educational quality for minority FGCS. Schools must create an inclusive environment where students feel a sense of belonging and use academic advising as an opportunity to connect with students in a meaningful way and help them overcome their obstacles. Advisors should pay more attention to FGCS and try proactively contacting them. Schools should provide professional development support to their advisors to learn more about the unique needs of FGCS. These suggestions confirm a need for individual academic advising among FGCS and how that would benefit students.
(Longwell-Grice et al., 2016)
3. A Psychosociocultural (PSC) View of Hispanic First-Generation College Students’ (FGCS) Graduation Rates
Research questions:
- Is being a Hispanic FGCS related to 6-year bachelor’s degree attainment rates?
- Is being a Hispanic FGCS related to time to bachelor’s degree attainment?
- What factors from the PSC framework (i.e., academic self-efficacy, meeting with professors, or attending cultural programming) are uniquely related to the bachelor’s degree attainment and time to bachelor’s degree attainment for Hispanic FGCS?
Hypothesis:
- Hispanic FGCS would have significantly lower graduation rates and take considerably more time to graduate than Hispanic non-FGCS.
- In addition, given that Latina/o FGCS have been shown to have lower levels of academic self-efficacy (Dueñas & Gloria, 2017), it was hypothesized that academic self-efficacy would significantly interact with Hispanic FGCS status to have a more significant influence on both bachelor’s degree attainment and time to bachelor’s degree attainment for FGCS than non-FGCS Hispanic students.
- Due to a lack of previous research, no a priori hypotheses were made about the interaction of Hispanic FGCS status with meeting with professors or attending cultural programming.
Method: The study sample included 685 Hispanic students who had taken the ACT or SAT college admissions test and had completed the ACT Engage assessment to measure academic behaviors.
Result: The results show Hispanic FGCS would have a lower 6-year bachelor’s degree attainment rate. These results highlight the importance of prior academic success and academic self-efficacy for college-going students of Hispanic descent, as well as the importance of paying further attention to Hispanic males and examining the strengths inherent in the educational approach of Hispanic females. This study found that once the ACT Composite score, gender and academic self-efficacy were accounted for, and those Hispanic FGCS who did graduate were estimated to take a similar amount of time to graduate (in months) as compared to their peers.
Summary: Since there is limited research on Vietnamese students in the U.S., I looked for other research on unrepresentative students. This study suggested similar reasons for minority student struggle to attain their college degree. Academic self-efficacy is essential to their academic success, and they offer to build a curriculum that fosters academic self-efficacy among minority students. Academic advising was also mentioned to help students examine their beliefs about their intellectual capabilities and how they can help them achieve their goals.
(Latino et al., 2021)
4. First-Year College Students’ Behaviors and Characteristics of Those Who Stay and Those Who Go
Topic: The differences between first-year students who continued to Year 2 and first-year students who did not return to the second year at a mid-size, public research university in the mid-south.
Method: The study utilized the National Survey of Student Engagement to compare the level of student-faculty interaction, experiences with the campus environment, and engagement in collaborative learning. Differences in student engagement behaviors were examined by gender, race/ethnicity, and if the student was a first-generation college student. The participants included 1,402 first-year college students.
Result: The results provided valuable information demonstrating a significant relationship between engagement in collaborative learning and student persistence. Engagement in campus activities and finding a peer group is consistently noted as a positive factor in student success. Social support and peer connections are strongly linked to student satisfaction and retention. Analysis revealed that those students who continued to Year 2 had a significantly higher engagement in collaborative learning scores during their first year. However, female returners reported less faculty interaction than female nonreturners. Caucasian students who continued rated experiences with the campus environment and engagement in collaborative learning higher than those who did not continue to Year 2.
Summary: This study analyzes the decision-making process of first-year students who continue and discontinue their second year of college and what factors can affect that decision. Finding engagement, inclusiveness, and peer support is vital to the success of college students in general.
(Griffin et al., 2022)
5. Improving Academic Performance of First-Generation Students: A Case Study of Mentoring Program
Topic: This paper presented a case study of a first-generation engineering (FGEn) student mentoring program at a major US university and its impact on the success of FG students at Texas A&M University.
Method: To understand the experiences of the larger FG student population beyond the FGEn mentees, a brief survey was conducted of all the first-generation students across the college of engineering. The survey consisted of questions regarding the challenges faced by the students, the status of their mentoring relationship, students’ academic and social experiences on campus, and how they feel about the overall university support systems for students. 66 interpretable responses were collected and used for this survey.
Result: FG students face challenges related to social capital and cultural capital compared to non-FG peers. The results suggest that the FGEn mentoring program has demonstrably improved academic performance and generally provided a positive social experience for the students. FG students struggled with course load management and time management, which could be attributed to their financial needs as most FG students work part-time jobs. Even though the mentoring program is offered to students at no cost, only 23% of FG students participate in this program. The reason could be a lack of time commitment due to working more hours than their non-FG peers. Financial incentives (such as stipends or scholarships) could boost their participation in a mentoring program like this.
Summary: This study gave information about the structure of the mentorship program at one of the prominent colleges in the U.S. There are details about how mentors and mentees were matched, and I could use this to build a framework for my project. This study also confirms that the lack of social capital and cultural capital negatively impacts FG students’ success in college.
(Torvi et al., 2022)
6. The impact of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) on academic performance of non-traditional students at a public state college in Georgia
Research questions:
- What is the academic performance of SSS students?
- Is there a statistically significant difference in the year-to-year retention rates of SSS and non-SSS students?
- Is there a significant difference in the three-year graduation rates between SSS and non-SSS students?
- Is there a statistically significant difference in the cumulative GPAs of SSS and non-SSS students?
- How do recent SSS graduates perceive their overall programme experience?
Method: A mixed methods design was employed for data collection, including year-to-year retention rates of 480 SSS and non-SSS students, three-year graduation rates, and cumulative grade point averages of 2010–2013 and 2013–2016 cohorts, and two focus group
interviews with eight 2016 SSS graduates.
Result: TRIO SSS assisted students in degree completion by offering academic advisement, degree planning, development of self-confidence through motivation and mentorship, academic resources, and a family-oriented environment. The results proved that TRIO SSS-assisted non-traditional students interacted with academic and social components of the institution, which helped to increase student retention and graduation rates. TRIO SSS staff played significant roles as the counselor, tutor, and director in helping non-traditional students overcome the obstacles and positively impact their program experiences.
Summary: Non-traditional student was defined with characteristics such as delayed enrollment, part-time or full-time college attendee, part-time or full-time employment, financial independence, having dependents other than a spouse, single parenthood, and age 25 or older. Many Vietnamese-born students fall into this category. This study provides some insights into their struggles while attending college and confirms how mentorship program can positively affect their academic results.
(Bennett et al., 2021)
7. Mentoring First-Generation and Underrepresented in Medicine Physician-Scientists by Expanding Conversations
Topic: Exploring potential solutions for first-generation mentees when encountering scenarios seen as familiar to others
Method: Consider four real-life examples the mentees encountered and how they reacted and helped develop better mentoring strategies for them
Result: These scenarios show that mentors are not always aware of the problems their mentees are facing because they come from different backgrounds. Subjects such as intersectionality, networking, gratitude tax, imposter syndrome, and other hidden challenges are some examples of unique challenges and barriers first-generation may have. Mentors need to be trained to recognize these problems and work with their mentees in preparing and overcoming them.
Summary: This study gave examples of how mentors and mentees can be disconnected due to having different life experiences and demographic backgrounds. While having a dedicated mentor for academic advising is great, mentees will benefit more if they keep in contact with other mentors who can help with their specific problems. This confirms my theory that it is best for mentors and mentees to have a similar background and shared knowledge to create sympathy between them. As a result, mentors can better assist their mentees in overcoming obstacles they may have due to their background.
(Viglianti & Iwashyna, 2022)
8. First in their families at university: Can non-cognitive skills compensate for social origin?
Research question:
- Are first-generation students less ready for university life regarding their cognitive and non-cognitive skills than students from more privileged families?
- Do first-generation students have lower grade point averages (GPAs)? and if yes, can they be explained by variation in cognitive and non-cognitive skills?
- Are skills compensating for the disadvantaged produced by social origin?
Hypothesis: Non-cognitive skills can compensate for first-generation students’ social origin.
Method: This study conducted a unique survey on around 1,000 incoming students at a leading Australian university in New South Wales who started their degrees in 2015. Data collected information on students’ non-cognitive skills, high-school achievement tests, detailed socioeconomic backgrounds, and the people who inspired them to pursue a university education. “Non-cognitive skills were measured with widely accepted personality instruments, such as the Big-Five traits (Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience, and Extraversion), Locus of Control, and Grit.”
Result: First-generation students experience no inequalities in pre-university non-cognitive skills but arrive at university with lower pre-university cognitive skills, which we proxied with standardized university admissions test scores. First-generation students have lower grade-point averages at the beginning of their studies, but they tend to catch up over time. Non-cognitive skills (Conscientiousness, Extraversion) predict academic performance almost as strongly as cognitive skills. Cognitive skills and Conscientiousness compensate for the academic penalties produced by social origin. This study contributes to international literature that considers the role of both cognitive and non-cognitive skills instrumental in facilitating social mobility and success in life.
Summary: This study provides information about non-cognitive skills and why they are essential to a successful college experience. Even though this study finds evidence that there are no significant differences between first-gen students and their peers, I still believe some students might suffer from a lack of non-cognitive skills, and there is a need to improve these skills.
9. Culture and Positionality: Academy and Mentorship
Topic: Exploring how mentorship affects the academic journey of immigrant women of color college student
Method: Literature review
Result: Researchers have highlighted a triadic focus within mentoring: instrumental, psychosocial, and sponsorship, each serving an explicit function with specific outcomes. Mentoring reduces isolation, builds connections, and helps mentees navigate situations in professional settings that are often complex and based on patriarchal structures and sexist policies or ideologies. However, mentoring may not always be a positive experience. With transitions and redefinitions of roles for the mentor and the mentee, shifts of power and perceived expertise may challenge the mentoring relationship Same-race mentors have been influential in the provision of greater psychosocial support (e.g., role modeling, respect, confirmation, the establishment of a cultural connection, and a sense of belonging) as compared to career-related instrumental mentoring. Nevertheless, research has noted that having a White mentor might be advantageous for ethnic minority mentees because of the power, influence, and access that the White mentor may have in the dominant culture. Cross-cultural mentoring, like any cross-cultural relationship, requires extra sensitivity because cultural, racial, and ethnic differences strongly influence how individuals are viewed and how
individuals view themselves and experience the world. Notably, cultural differences regarding communication style (i.e., directness or being outspoken), individualism and collectivism (i.e., achieving own goals versus institutional goals), power and authority, and conflict management may negatively affect the relationships between mentors and mentees.
Summary: This research shows me a different aspect of mentoring. I used to think mentors and mentees should be a match based on shared demographic backgrounds, but this research shows that it is not necessary. Cross-cultural mentoring can benefit if they share the same values and have a strong mentoring relationship.
(Inman, 2020)
10. Supporting college students through peer mentoring: Serving immigrant students.
Method: Analyzing the academic results of immigrant students at Metropolitan State University Denver.
Result: Peer mentoring is a critical component of the educational experience at MSU Denver for many students involved in academic support programs, especially those served by the Immigrant Services program. When implemented with a clear structure of training, duties, and understanding of student skill levels, these programs can be highly successful in helping specific student populations persist year to year and continue to graduation. Immigrant Services is a successful and growing program at MSU Denver because of the organizational structure of expert professional staff combined with dedicated, well-trained peer mentors. It is critically important for this specific program to have a coordinator who understands English Language Learner needs but also can act as a student affairs generalist.
Summary: This research shows that immigrant students have unique needs beyond academic aspects. These students face other challenges relating to their immigration status. Schools need to understand this problem and focus on helping immigrant students to overcome those obstacles.
(Kring, 2017)
Reference:
Bennett, C. A., Hsiao, E.-L., Dees, D. C., Kim, D., & Bochenko, M. J. (2021). The impact of TRIO Student Support Services on academic performance of non-traditional students at a public state college in Georgia. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 27(2), 157–174. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477971420915938
Griffin, A., Johnson, K. V., & Jogan, K. (2022). First-Year College Students’ Behaviors and Characteristics of Those Who Stay and Those Who Go. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 23(4), 815–823. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025119879414
Inman, A. G. (2020). Culture and Positionality: Academy and Mentorship. Women & Therapy, 43(1–2), 112–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2019.1684678
Kring, M. (2017). Supporting College Students through Peer Mentoring: Serving Immigrant Students. Metropolitan Universities, 28(3), 102–110.
Latino, C. A., Radunzel, J., Way, J. D., Sanchez, E., Casillas, A., Ali, S. R., & Kivlighan, D. M. (2021). A Psychosociocultural View of Hispanic First-Generation College Students’ Graduation Rates. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 15210251211056300. https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251211056299
Longwell-Grice, R., Adsitt, N. Z., Mullins, K., & Serrata, W. (2016). The First Ones: Three Studies on First-Generation College Students. NACADA Journal, 36(2), 34–46. https://doi.org/10.12930/NACADA-13-028
Torvi, S., Nepal, B., & Johnson, M. (2022, August 23). Improving Academic Performance of First-Generation Students: A Case Study of Mentoring Program. 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. https://peer.asee.org/improving-academic-performance-of-first-generation-students-a-case-study-of-mentoring-program
Tucker, K., Sharp, G., Qingmin, S., Scinta, T., & Thanki, S. (2020). Fostering Historically Underserved Students’ Success: An Embedded Peer Support Model that Merges Non-Cognitive Principles with Proven Academic Support Practices. The Review of Higher Education, 43(3), 861–885. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2020.0010
Viglianti, E. M., & Iwashyna, T. J. (2022). Mentoring First-Generation and Underrepresented in Medicine Physician-Scientists by Expanding Conversations. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 14(2), 162–165. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-21-00920.1
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