First to Fly at MCPHS University

First Flight at MCPHS University in Boston, Massachusetts consists of various departments and offices on campus (Center for Academic Success and Enrichment; Center for Professional Career Development; Dean of Students; Diversity and Inclusion; and Residential Life). It is an initiative that aims to provide support for success to first-generation students through campus-wide services. First Flight won the 2017 MCPHS University Inspiration Award for its dedicated efforts towards empowering first-generation students in their college journey. Due to the hybrid/online formats of the 2020-2021 academic year, as a result of COVID-19, First Flight celebrated MCPHS first-generation students through a social media campaign on Instagram and a virtual event. The event commemorated the National First-Generation College Celebration the week of November 8.

One of the highlights from our Instagram campaign was sharing the stories of four of our first-generation students. Each student wrote about who they were and their background, hurdles that they have encountered, and resources, experiences, and advice to fellow first-generation students. Other highlights from the Instagram campaign include sharing with first-generation students the number of resources offered to support them while in a remote setting. Students were encouraged to attend the event with gift cards to the University bookstore and local grocery stores for selected participants.

On November 12, 2020, First Flight had our virtual celebration “First to Fly: What It Means To Be A First-generation Student at MCPHS University.” This celebration included a workshop on the intersectionality of the first-generation and MCPHS student identities, on-campus and virtual resources, tips for first-generation student success, and an interactive activity on creating a first-generation action plan. This event was held through Zoom, which allowed students to see and engage with each other through the discussion of the action plan creation.

When registering for the event, we asked students what it means to be first-generation in one word and created a word cloud from their answers. “Opportunity” was the most frequently submitted answer, and there was a striking balance between answers, from “pressure” and “challenges” to “courage” and “barrier-breaker.” The word cloud, paired with the first-generation action plan from the workshop, sparked student conversations and dialogue on their own experiences as first-generation students with one another.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the experience from the celebration event. One student shared “The First To Fly event was very resourceful. As a first-generation student, it could be a bit intimidating starting college. You feel like you are stepping into new territory with no direction/guidance. The event informed students about various resources that are provided for first-gen students. It was also great to get insight from faculty about their experiences who are also first-generation students.”

During the Spring 2021 semester, First Flight plans to hold a second virtual event that will feature a panel of students and alumni answering questions and sharing their experiences as first-generation college students. We believe that first-generation students hearing from their peers will provide engagement among the community and give students the opportunity to seek advice from their peers who share the first-generation identity.

---

For more information on MCPHS University’s approach, please visit their website, Facebook, and Twitter.