First-generation Professionals in Higher Education: Strategies for the World of Work

The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation, has announced the release of First-generation Professionals in Higher Education: Strategies for the World of Work, a new book that investigates the complexities related to the transition from college or professional school to the work world of higher education, as well as the advancement from mid- to senior-level leadership, and how first-generation professionals navigate these transitions.

Framing their ten chapters in the asset-based lens of cultural capital, the fifteen contributors to the book approach topics of navigating the field of higher education as first-generation professionals through personal experience as well as evidence-based approaches and strategies.

Organized in three sections–Professional Identity, Purposeful Interaction, and Career Path—the book examines concepts such as imposter syndrome, politics, financial literacy, resilience, networking, mentoring, career progression, and more. Each chapter includes activities, exercises, and questions for reflection, offering readers an opportunity to discern strategies for their own professional development.

Foreword by Doris Ching

Part I: Professional Identity
Chapter 1: First-generation Professional and Influencers by Mary Blanchard Wallace (Editor)
Chapter 2: Imposter Syndrome Revisited: A Journey of Learning and Unlearning by D'Andra Mull
Chapter 3: Navigating Bureaucracy and Politics by Willie Banks
Chapter 4: Money Management: Understanding Personal Finances by John R. Jones III
Part II: Purposeful Interaction
Chapter 5: Resilience: First-generation Professionals Persit by La'Tonya Rease Miles and Danette D. Buie
Chapter 6: The Power of Community: The Importance of Professional Networks and Resources by Samantha Payton and Brandi Hephner LeBanc
Chapter 7: Empowerment Through Mentoring by Robin M. Williamson
Part III: Career Paths
Chapter 8: First-generation Graduates in Mid-level Career Transitions by Ainslet Carry
Chapter 9: How Bring a First-generation Graduate Influences Faculty Experiences by Sonja Ardoin, Claudia García-Louis, and Darris R. Means
Chaptter 10: Pathwars to Senior Leadership by Patricia S. Smith and Brian O. Hemphill

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