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For many students at Rutgers University–Camden, college is more than the next step in their education: it’s a first for their families. More than half of the student population at Rutgers–Camden identify as first-generation, meaning their parents or guardians did not earn a four-year degree.
While they are often eager and motivated to begin a new chapter, first-gen students face distinctive challenges as they navigate the college experience, which can be both overwhelming and intimidating.
Kenneth “Kenny” Geffrard, a first-gen student at Rutgers–Camden majoring in English and communications, acknowledges that the experience was exciting yet unfamiliar.
“Many of us are navigating uncharted waters with no experience,” Geffrard said. “While the non-first-generation students are picking up where their family left off, we first-generation students are embarking on a new journey, alone most of the time.”
First-gen students may also face obligations their peers may not encounter.
“Being first-gen often means balancing family responsibilities and learning everything on your own and from scratch,” said Carolina Birriel, a first-generation student in her first year. “A little understanding and support can go a long way in helping first-gen students feel included and supported.”
Fortunately, at Rutgers–Camden, first-generation students are both celebrated and supported through a specially designed group of programs, services, and community networks intended to guide them as they pursue their dreams of higher education.
“For first-gen students, the college experience is often very different than their peers,” said Randi Mayers, executive director of the Division of Student Academic Success at Rutgers–Camden. “First-gens are generally unable to draw upon the lived experiences of those in their community to help them navigate the expectations and practices of higher education. This can make the transition and acclimation to college even more difficult and overwhelming than it already is. Our goal is to help students actualize the best version of themselves and their vision of success, in a way that is realistic for their life.”
The Division of Student Academic Success offers several initiatives, including the Educational Opportunity Fund and TRiO Student Support Services, both of which provide academic coaching, tutoring, financial and scholarship assistance, as well as peer mentoring opportunities.
In addition, Student Academic Success houses a dedicated first-gen initiative focused on connecting students with similar collegiate experiences through a series of social, community, and networking events and programs, such as the Alpha Alpha Alpha Honor Society. There is a corresponding initiative to provide support to the parents and guardians of students who are the first in their families to attend college.
“First-gen families often play a very critical role in their students' success, serving as a source of motivation and emotional support to complete their degree, so they should be included in their students' journey,” said Mayers.
These initiatives, along with student-led organizations like Bridging First Generation Students, help first-generation students and their families build community, learn the “college lingo,” and navigate university systems together, ensuring that first-generation students have a network of support to not only survive their transition to college life but also thrive.
Notably, Rutgers–Camden’s graduation rate among first-generation students exceeds the national average. Beyond the numbers, however, the sense of community created from this focused effort is something many first-generation students come to appreciate as they adjust to college life.
“It may seem easy to tell a first-gen to just ask for help, but I think that most of us are not used to asking for help or having the kind of support that you find here at Rutgers–Camden,” said Naomi Revueltas, a first-generation senior majoring in psychology and Spanish.
“But I’d encourage other students just coming to college for the first time to come out of your shell and take advantage of all of the support that is available,” Revueltas said. “You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.”
