About

In February, 2020, the Black First-gen Collective published Black First-generation College Students Matter: A Call to Action. This document provides an intentional focus on the unique experiences of Black first-generation college students will only bring nuance to existing research and university praxis.

This page is dedicated to the incredible work led by the Black First-gen Collective and supported by the Center.

 

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Mission Statement

Despite the narratives and mainstream popularity of multiple notable first-generation college graduates, such as Michelle Obama, and the increased focus on first-generation college students at institutions nationally, there is little scholarship on Black first-generation college students. In fact, as of this writing, we found fewer than 10 published articles on this population since 2008.1 In response to the dearth of information and targeted resources, the mission of the Black First-Gen Collective is to support, study and disseminate intentional research, praxis and policy that specifically explores, interrogates, unpacks and disaggregates the unique experiences of Black first-generation undergraduate and graduate or professional school students.

We intend to address this literature gap by doing the following:

 
  • Collecting qualitative and quantitative data on Black first-generation college students and the programs that support them.
  • Summarizing and analyzing pre-existing data on this population and the programs that support them.
  • Disseminating findings via reports, presentations, and journal articles.
 

We invite scholars, practitioners and stakeholders who are invested in the success of Black first-generation undergraduate and graduate or professional school students to join the movement. This group is open to anyone and all regardless of race or ethnicity. Feel free to include any additional sources to this evolving bibliography.


1These include: Field, K. (2019). This Woman Goes Door to Door to Steer Students to College. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Nov. 25; Liversage, L., Naudé L. & A. (2018). Vectors of identity development during the first year: black first-generation students’ reflections, Teaching in Higher Education, 23(1), 63; Owens, D., Lacey, K., Rawls, G., & Holbert-Quince, J. A. (2011). First-generation African American male college students: Implications for career counselors. The Career Development Quarterly, 58(4), 291-300; Parks-Yancy, R. (2012). Interactions into opportunities: Career management for low-income, first-generation African American college students. Journal of College Student Development, 53(4), 510-523; Wilkins, A.C., (2014). Race, Age, and Identity Transformations in the Transition from High School to College for Black and First-generation White Men, Sociology of Education,87(3), 171-187, Jul.

Steering Committee

Selena Blair, Ed.D.

Rogers-Ingram Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Presbyterian College

Althea Counts headshot
Althea Counts, M.Ed.

Director, TRIO Programs, University of South Carolina

Eve Hudson Headshot
Evingerlean D. B. Hudson, Ph.D.

Co-chair; Founder and Chief Strategist, Evingerlean Worldwide

Karen Jackson, Ed.D.

Associate Dean for Advising Programs, Georgia Gwinnett College

Tracie Lowe, Ph.D.

Dean of Student Success Research, Dallas College

Kaye Monk-Morgan 2020 Headshot
V. Kaye Monk-Morgan, Ed.D.

Chief Impact Officer, Kansas Leadership Center

Bio: La'Tonya Rease Miles
La'Tonya Rease Miles, Ph.D.

Past Chair; Director of Sales and University Partnerships, ReUp Education

Yolanda Norman Headshot
Yolanda Norman, Ed.D.

CEO, FirstGenCollege Consulting; Associate Vice President Student Development, Concordia University

Kelley O'Neal 2020 Headshot
Kelley O'Neal, M.Ed.

Past Chair; Executive Director, Byrne Student Success Center, Texas A&M University

James Stukes, Ed.D

Assistant Dean of Student Success & College Access, Wofford College

Charmaine Troy Headshot
Charmaine Troy, Ph.D.

Associate Director of First-Generation Student Initiatives, Georgia Tech University

Kimberly Walker Headshot
Kimberly Walker, Ph.D.

Program Director, UIDP

Bio: James K. Winfield
James Winfield, Ed.D.

Co-chair; Associate Dean, Global Campus First-Year Experience, General Education, and Retention Strategies, Southern New Hampshire University

Resources

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Get Involved

We invite scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders who are invested in the success of Black first-generation undergraduate and graduate or professional school students to join the movement by joining our mailling list below. Please note that this group is open to anyone and all regardless of race or ethnicity.

For more information, please email us at [email protected].