First to Finished: Supporting the Success of First-Generation Students

Heading off to college can feel intimidating for even the most prepared student, but when you’re the first in your family to take on such a life-changing adventure, it’s especially daunting.

According to the Center for First-Generation Student Success, one in three undergraduates in the United States is a first-gen student. That’s nearly five million people, a number that is expected to grow as higher education becomes more accessible.

To better support first-gen students, St. Petersburg College launched the First to Finished program. Its goal is to build a network for first-generation students that will enable them to navigate the SPC experience with confidence and get all the way to graduation.

The initiative is primarily overseen by faculty members Dr. Amber Estlund and Dr. Shannon Ulrich and Djuan Fox, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Services, SPC employees and first-gen college graduates themselves. They realized they were uniquely positioned to help other first-generation students at SPC.

“We thought it was important to build a network of support to remove potential barriers for students in similar situations,” Fox said. “First to Finished is all about celebrating the success of first-gen students and ensuring they understand that SPC has a place for them and is prepared to serve their needs.”

The three colleagues all experienced similar feelings of trepidation and being overwhelmed when they went off to college. Together, they use those experiences to guide first-gen students at SPC and make the journey to earning a degree an enjoyable one while also addressing the stigma and pressure that often comes with being the first one in your family to go to college.

“The interesting thing about first-gen students is that we know college is a path that will better our future, but we don’t know exactly what that path looks like or exactly how to navigate it,” Ulrich said. “These students are doing something that no one in their family has done before. So, to be a first-gen student, you have to be brave.”

The college offers a number of services to support all of its students, from tutoring and advising to financial aid and childcare. The First to Finished program ensures that students know how to use those services to their advantage.

“We’ve been able to partner with so many areas of the college to help bring awareness to our first-generation students about all the amazing services already offered to all students,” Ulrich said.

In addition to providing support and access to valuable resources, First to Finished works to help first-gen students understand just how special they truly are. The program provides them with special lime-green cords for their graduation regalia, so they stand out at commencement.

“First to Finished is about celebrating first-generation students,” Estlund said. “These students are brave, resilient and undertaking a transformational experience for themselves and their families.”