Building Genuine Communities for First Generation Students at Tennessee Tech

Do you remember the first time you rode a rollercoaster? You were probably excited, maybe a little nervous, but you were willing to take the risk for the reward of a thrilling ride.

But imagine you were in line for the rollercoaster virtually alone – no family or close friends excitedly waiting in line alongside you and no one who had ever ridden this rollercoaster before to share stories, insights, or tips on when to close your eyes and when to put your hands in the air for the best experience. 

That’s how first-generation student Miguel Fuentes describes his initial feelings about going to college.

“Being a first gen feels like a blind roller coaster because you don’t know what is coming, and everything is new,” says Fuentes, a first-generation college graduate who earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Technological University (Tech) in December.

He was excited for the ride but unsure what to expect. That feeling and anticipation of the unknown are why genuine community is so vital for first-generation students.

We aren’t just working through an always-straight-forward process without twists, turns, and ups and downs. The student experience is vast and varied. Sometimes, unexpected turns make our stomachs drop, and other times, we are filled with excitement.

“Something that I like about Tech is that we have very good (academic) programs, but we have this sense of community within our students and faculty members,” Fuentes pointed out. “It is very easy to find groups that are very open and very nice to you, so I found a club that aligned with my interests and helped me start connecting with more people.”

The community he found at the university helped him navigate the twists, turns, ups, and downs.

The answers are all around them, but first-generation students often aren’t the first to talk to the other people in the line. They don’t always know what to say or where to start.

“As everything was new for me, I found a very good group of friends that understood me and supported me in making a smooth transition,” said Fuentes. “They helped me with my homework, how to write an e-mail, how to talk with a professor, how to speak professionally, and also how to find resources.”

For him, that meant finding everything from student organizations to academic support and career-focused opportunities—like the co-op experience that helped him secure a job before he completed his degree at Tech.

But how do students go from standing in line alone to jumping off the ride, ready to encourage others to ride the rollercoaster?

The answers are all around them, but first-generation students often aren’t the first to talk to the other people in the line. They don’t always know what to say or where to start.

That’s where intentional programming for offices like the Tennessee Tech Office of First Generation Student Success comes in.

The office’s First-Gen Fridays are monthly events that provide a space for first-generation students to fellowship (food is provided) with each other and mix and mingle with first-generation faculty and staff from across the campus.

The free food draws the students in, and the faculty and staff who have been in their shoes provide a built-in community. The resources highlighted at the events spark conversations and provide insights and answers to questions that first-generation students may not know to ask. They help remove the blindfold.

Advice from Fuentes, who attended some of these events himself:

“Acknowledge that you have all the tools that you need for the opportunities that you are facing. We all have the same seven days every week and the same 24 hours – it’s just how you manage your time to achieve whatever you want.”

It’s our genuine, first-generation communities that can genuinely help students succeed.