First-Generation Students in Service-Learning Programs: An Exploration of Institutional Support Practices (The Proper Role of Higher Education in a Democratic Society)

First-generation students count for roughly one-third of the students enrolled in higher education in the United States. However, the retention and graduation rates for first-generation students are much lower than their continuing-generation peers. In this chapter, the authors employ a strengths-based approach to explore institutional service-learning models that lead to improved outcomes for first-generation students. By connecting extant research to practical applications at the institutional level, the authors provide readers with multiple models from which to develop a service-learning program based on first-generation students' assets and strengths rather than their perceived deficits.

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