Co-creating with Your College Community for Success!

Delaware County Community College (DCCC) is a two-year public community college located in Pennsylvania, serving Delaware and Chester counties. Across both counties we serve a vast number of first-generation college students. As DCCC has several campuses collaborating with each campus and ensuring that first-generation students are uplifted is essential to our mission. The aim of the office of First-Generation Student Success (FGSS), is to create visibility for first-generation students and to create systematic change within the college so first-generation students are supported. With that in mind, it was crucial for our college’s First-Generation College Celebration (FGCC) to take a cross-departmental collaborative approach to support and celebrate first-generation college students.

First in My Family Week

To celebrate FGCC at DCCC we hosted First in My Family Week from November 4-8, with an event held on each day. First in My Family Week was not only an opportunity to highlight first-generation student success, but to partner with other departments. Partnering with various departments allowed us to expand first-generation visibility, share resources, listen to and learn from other departments, strengthen relationships, and much more. Creating strong cross-departmental relationships allows for the mission and goals of the First-Gen office to be shared throughout the college, thus creating more systemic change and support for DCCC first-generation students.

Collaboration During First in My Family Week

Partnership with the Online Learning Department: When asking the Online Learning Department to partner for First in My Family Week we were met with enthusiasm, “I am excited for this project, since we have the ability to promote and celebrate our students, in hopes of encouraging more!”, Alex Plachuta, Assistant Dean, Online Teaching & Learning Department. We created First in My Family Week spotlight profiles for two first-generation students and two first-generation staff/faculty members to be displayed on Canvas (our college wide learning management system). The two students also received a First-gen Recognition Award from the First-Gen office. The award consisted of a certificate and a gift basket. We also created content to be displayed each day on Canvas to encourage students to attend events. Working with the Online Learning Department to display content on Canvas allowed us to reach first-generation students at each campus and those only taking online classes.

Partnership with the Marketing Department: It was essential that we partner with the Marketing department to help increase the visibility of the celebration across each campus. Like the above, the Marketing department helped to display first-generation spotlights and a full schedule of events using Netpresenters located at each branch campus. This allowed for the entire DCCC community to be included. We also worked with the Marketing department to create 24x36 foam core posters with a full schedule of events to be displayed at each branch campus.

Additionally, we partnered to update our First-Gen website to include information and links for the celebration, created a new webpage for the First in My Family Week celebration, and created a new webpage of the First in My Family Week spotlights:

• First-Gen office webpage
• First in My Family Week celebration webpage
• First in My Family Week spotlight webpage

A list of other significant partnerships:

• The Office of Athletics & Campus Engagement for a kickoff celebration

• First-gen faculty, staff, and students for panel discussions

• Other DCCC branch campuses

  

1. Live streamed panel discussions to all branch campuses

2. Hosted a vision board celebration at the Downingtown Center branch campus

• DCCC President, shared a campus wide email about First in My Family Week

Why Partnership Matters

We believe that First in My Family Week was a success due to the help of all the departments and individuals involved. Each collaboration gave us an opportunity to extend our reach and connect with more students than we could have on our own. By working together for First in My Family Week all first-generation students were able to see that they are cared for by the DCCC community. Our belief is that by continued collaboration we can find more ways to support and celebrate first-generation college students.

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For more information on Delaware County Community College's approach, please visit their website here.