Network Leader: A National Scaling Model
Network Leader is the second phase of the FirstGen Forward Network. Formerly known as the First Scholars phase this opportunity serves as a customized approach to intentional institutional transformation.
As a Network Leader, it is recognized that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to scaling first-generation student success. Over the course of approximately twenty-six months, institutions receive a tailored approach to transforming their infrastructures and supports to advance first-generation student success. Utilizing a continuous improvement framework, Network Leaders gain access to diagnostic tools providing critical institutional insight, a host of customized solutions and turnkey toolkits, robust data reporting, and expert guidance throughout the process. This phase of the Network offers institutions the flexibility to shape their knowledge to meet specific needs while aligning with evidence-based outcomes essential for advancing the success of first-generation students.
Core Components
Benefits
Benefits of Becoming a Network Leader:
- Engagement in a evidence-informed process, grounded in implementation science, to reach your goals and designed to address identified barriers that typically impede progress;
- Assignment of a dedicated expert coach to guide your progress to goals and serve as a resource for the institutional team;
- Access to proprietary assessments designed to facilitate understanding around your institution’s capacity to implement systemic cultural shifts that will holistically support first-generation student success; and Support from a network of institutions with similar priorities and goals related to first-generation student success;
- Access to valuable data and insights on first-generation student outcomes through PDP dashboards, including student-level outcomes and trends across the FirstGen Forward Network;
- Engagement in modules and networking opportunities related to creating organizational structures and scaling and implementing student-centered approaches designed to increase first-generation student success;
- Opportunity to earn the additional designation of institutional excellence related to supporting first-generation students;
- Discounted or free registration on professional development offerings tailored to first-generation student success including but not limited to virtual learning and engagement opportunities, live briefings, short-courses, community building and networking conversations, and large-scale virtual events; and
- Discounted registration on the NASPA Annual Conference, NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education, and special offerings hosted by FirstGen Forward.
Key Dates to Know
We are excited for your institution to take the next step within the FirstGen Forward Network by applying to become a Network Leader institution. Below you will find a timeline for application and onboarding:
Cohort Six Information Sessions
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 3 PM Eastern (Register Here)
Selection
April - September 2024 (rolling selection)
Onboarding
September - December 2024
Introduction to Continous Improvement and Expert Guidance
January - February 2025
Leadership Academy
June 2025
Diagnostics
Data Visibility for First-generation Student Success
Throughout the Network journey, institutions gain access to diagnostic tools and advisory sessions to discover and document the current state of first-generation student outcomes, organizational structures, programmatic offerings, and cultural elements critical to first-generation student success.
The following provide a foundation for this work:
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The Readiness and Progress Audit (RPA) is a tool utilized throughout the First Scholars Network experience to collect longitudinal progress data. Providing insight into how your institution is working to strengthen and scale institutional infrastructure and resources for first-generation students. We have asked institutions to complete this audit at various points to be able to compare this data including at the end of previous phases.
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The Insights Tool is a proprietary assessment designed to facilitate understanding around your institution’s first-generation initiatives and collects staff, faculty, and other institutional members’ perceptions of first-generation support.
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The Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) empowers institutions with more comprehensive data, easier analysis, centralized reporting functions, and better visual representations to help you understand, improve, and communicate student outcomes. The PDP offers interactive dashboards that enable your institution to visualize student outcomes in aggregated and disaggregated forms and an analysis-ready file that lets you dig deeper into the data to find where you can make the biggest improvements on your campus and implement student interventions in a timely manner.
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PDP BENEFITS
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All undergraduate students are included in the data submission, regardless of starting term or official cohort;
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Benchmarking across a variety of institutional types;
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Early momentum metrics for early and ongoing support;
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Outcome indicators for long-term effectiveness evaluation & support;
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Term-by-term analyses to track student progress toward degree completion;
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Highly accessible data with multiple filters and dimensions;
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Visualizations specific to achievement gaps; and
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Analysis-ready files for further analyses and comparisons
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FEATURES OF THE PDP
The data submission benefits the institutions by giving the practitioners closely involved in the FirstGen Forward Network access to valuable data and insights on first-generation student outcomes. The data also benefits the FirstGen Forward Network as the team can access student-level outcomes indirectly influenced by participation in the Network, as well as identify trends across theNetwork so content can be adjusted to most benefit the institutions as they work to better support first-generation students.
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Through the FirstGen Forward Network, Our Team of Experts WIll
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help institutions navigate conversations about inclusivity and equity. For example, the intersectional identities of first-generation students can be included in all analyses;
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work with institutions to better understand what the data are saying and what the data are not saying;
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identify what institutional changes can affect the data for improvement; and
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help institutions communicate the findings to appropriate audiences and create a compelling narrative that is relevant to continuous improvement. For example, are the findings aligned with other institutional data analyses? Are there any contradictions?
As more institutions join the FirstGen Forward Network, we will begin to have robust insights from a high-level perspective of first-generation trends, including longitudinal insights.
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Application Process
We encourage active Network Member institutions to apply to the Network Leader phase. After having reviewed the information on this web page, the next step is to register for a Network Leader Information Session (below).
The application process includes the following:
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Attend a one-hour Network Leader Information Session (Register Here)
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Prepare your application materials using our Application Content Guide and Letter of Support Checklist
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Complete the Network Leader Application (Institutions will recieve the link to apply once they have attended one of our information session.)
Selection for Network Leader will occur on a rolling basis as institutions complete the Network Leader Application.
Leadership Academy
Leadership Academy at the NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education convenes leadership teams from each of our newest Network Leader institutions and focuses on the role of leaders in advancing a national narrative on first-generation student success while offering critical training and professional development. Selected institutions should expect to receive further details from the FirstGen Forward team to support your team through the process.
Institutions will:
- Meet with expert guides;
- Network with peer institutions;
- Hear from national leaders in first-generation student success;
- Finalize continuous improvement priorities for the coming year; and
- Access to unique pre-conference workshops.
Contact Us
Thank you for your time and continued commitment to first-generation student success. Please contact [email protected] should you have any questions.