2009 Cohort Award Recipients

Selected through a highly competitive application process, the first cohort of 15 institutions began their work at the 2009 IHEP Summer Academy and are starting the process of plan implementation. Each of these institutions has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing its capacity to retain and graduate first-generation college students. Their projects reflect a range of strategies to improve first-generation student success through faculty-driven, classroom-based initiatives.

Bennett College for Women (HBCU, Greensboro, N.C.): Bennett College for Women is developing first-generation student learning communities. Beginning the summer prior to the fall semester, conditionally accepted first-generation students will take three required courses—English, math, and orientation—to accelerate remedial coursework requirements and provide them with the necessary tools to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework in their first year.
California State University-Fresno (HSI, Fresno, Calif.): The California State University-Fresno project targets first-generation students in need of additional preparation in math and English through the implementation of integrated learning communities focusing on reading, math, written and oral communication, critical thinking, history and government. Student success goals include increased student learning, increased persistence, and increased engagement.
Claflin University (HBCU, Orangeburg, S.C.): Claflin University is implementing the Learning in Communities for Success (LinCs) project, enrolling first-generation students in sections of three linked courses: English, math, and freshman orientation. The linked courses will produce collaborative learning and encourage shared responsibility for learning among students and faculty. The objectives are to increase retention and provide a venue for nurturing personal and intellectual growth of students through social, civic and academic realms.
Colorado State University-Pueblo (HSI, Pueblo, Colo.): Colorado State University-Pueblo is developing faculty and student mentoring of first-generation, minority students as well as Supplemental Instruction in courses that students historically struggle to pass. The goal will be to increase academic performance and retention among this population. The initiative will also include the development of a centralized faculty develop program focused on pedagogical approaches important to first-generation student success.
Florida International University (HSI, Miami, Fla.): Florida International University will follow cohorts of 150 first-generation, first-year students that will participate in pilot math-intensive First-Year Interest Groups intended to apply and assess best practices in mathematics education. A Faculty Learning Community made of student learning community faculty will convene regularly to improve best practices and pedagogies for teaching gateway mathematics courses and addressing first-generation students’ learning needs.
LaGuardia Community College (HSI, Long Island City, N.Y.): LaGuardia Community College is integrating a cohort of degree-seeking, first-generation students selected from academic and career development programs in continuing education (e.g., ESL, adult basic education, and GED) into the college’s First-Year Academy program. The First-Year Academy places students in one of three academies (liberal arts, allied health, or business) contextualizing skills instruction by making it discipline-based linking courses through learning communities.
Mount St. Mary’s College (HSI, Los Angeles, Calif.): MSMC is extending the work, philosophy and diversity of the summer bridge program (Summer Skills) to the entire college. Focusing on first-year learners, the desire to increase retention and graduation through the introduction of intentionally maintained and developed culturally-relevant pedagogy. The objective is to utilize existing Summer Skills pedagogy of curricular and co-curricular activities to increase faculty understanding of first-generational experiences of students of color. This initiative will also include faculty mentoring and a faculty development workshop series.
Navajo Technical College (TCU, Crownpoint, N.M.): Navajo Technical College will 1) implement collaborative, interdisciplinary, student-initiated research projects designed to increase motivation to achieve academic success for the college’s first-generation students; and 2) increase the percentage of the college’s first-generation students that choose to earn an associate’s degree after earning their certificate.
Norfolk State University (HBCU, Norfolk, Va.): NSU’s project, “Learning to Learn”(L2L), is designed to increase first-generation students social capital by intentionally and proactively engaging them in the campus academic community; developing necessary learning skills sets; and providing the motivation, support, and resources that first-generation students need to successfully navigate the college environment. The distinctive focus of the project is designing a collaborative, faculty-led program to facilitate the development of students’ self-directed learning skills.
Northwest Indian College (TCU, Bellingham, Wash.): NIC is building upon and strengthening its First-Year Experience program to better serve the needs of first-generation students, identifying and integrating best practice classroom models for improving the academic success of students; identify culturally relevant teaching and learning approaches; improve and standardize the Introduction to Successful Learning course; and expand and tailor the Family Education Model for the purpose of creating a network of support similar to that which is provided by students’ families.
Salish Kootenai College (TCU, Pablo, Mont.): Salish Kootenai College is developing a coordinated, evidence-based academic department for retention and academic success of American Indian first-generation students who require developmental coursework. Program activities will create an academic department for developmental studies to increase the retention and academic success of minority first-generation college students who require basic skills education to achieve success in college-level coursework and to provide centralized development programs for remedial instructors working with these students.
Spelman College (HBCU, Atlanta, Ga.): Spelman College is developing on a two-semester, first-year seminar to increase academic success for first-generation students. Faculty will lead the seminar and will serve as advisors to participants. The seminar will focus on building first-generation students’ capacity to think critically, analyze, and solve problems, and communicate with others.
Tennessee State University (HBCU, Nashville, Tenn.): Tennessee State University is implementing a cohort-based learning community that includes two core and one orientation course, participation in a faculty-guided service learning project, and involvement in co-curricular activities that reinforce learning in the courses. Project components include serving more than 350 students; linked learning communities to support core coursework requirements and provide opportunities for learning across disciplinary lines.
University of the District of Columbia (HBCU, Washington, D.C.): University of the District of Columbia's project, Project SOAR4, is being developed with the goal of improving student learning, course pass rates, and academic success for students in need of developmental courses. Project SOAR4 will create a learning community for 100 of these students who will form cohorts attending developmental English, developmental math, Freshmen Orientation, and a content course, such as sociology.
University of the Incarnate Word (HSI, San Antonio, Texas): University of the Incarnate Word ’s project FOCUS is a faculty development program focused on first-generation sophomore student success. The initiative will educate faculty on sophomore challenges and ways of realigning teaching approaches to address these challenges and structure opportunities for faculty to share and be recognized for models for serving first-generation sophomore students. FOCUS will allow the extension of the efforts that have started with first-year students to assist them in their transition to their major fields of study.