The Invisible Minority: First Generation Students at JMU
Tuesday, May 8 1:00-3:00 pm Festival Highlands Room |
Sorry, we're no longer accepting registration for this event. |
Description
Compared to second-generation students they are academically underprepared, less inclined to engage in campus life, have lower educational and career aspirations, are saddled more frequently with family conflicts, and are less likely to graduate. In this workshop we will use the lens of cultural capital to examine the characteristics of first generation students, explore strategies for engaging them in and out of class, and learn how to increase their success rate. We will also examine the phenomena of first generation faculty. Instructional faculty and student affairs professionals who themselves were first generation students approach their work and students in unique ways because of that status and have much to teach us about student success. All participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their college years and understand how generational status and cultural capital may have shaped the educator they are today.
Dr. Ward is co-author of the forthcoming book First Generation College Students (Jossey-Bass, June 2012), which details strategies for creating effective learning environments for first generation students. This workshop will translate that expertise and the growing literature on the topic, particularly Howard London’s examination of cultural capital and Alfred Lubrano’s exploration of the white-collar dreams of blue-collar students. This workshop will be an interactive and engaging one in which we will generate creative thinking on how to teach first generation students.
Facilitator
Lee Ward, Career & Academic Planning