You Can Do This! Mentorship Support and Memorable Messages on the Motivations and Successes of First-Generation College Students
Abstract
This study explores the different barriers to success that first-generation college (FGC) students face and the role that social support, specifically mentorship, has on their motivations and successes. Mentors can help provide guidance and support for first-generation college students and can have a positive impact on their transition into higher education. This study looks at the impact of social support and mentoring relationships on first-generation college students and the memorable messages that they received from these sources of support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve FGC students who were either currently enrolled in a four-year university or who had previously been enrolled in a four-year university. Using a qualitative approach of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), relevant domains and themes were created to provide a thorough description of the data set. In total, three overarching domains were identified with eight themes to answer our research questions. Domains covered the areas of: 1) Barriers and Challenges 2) Sources of Support, 3) Sources of Memorable Messages. The results of the study reveal that memorable messages from mentors, specifically on-campus faculty, play a significant role in the motivations and successes of FGCS.
College
College of Liberal Arts
Department
Communication Studies
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Tammy Swenson-Lepper
Start Date
4-19-2023 2:00 PM
End Date
4-19-2023 3:59 PM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
2b=2pm-3pm
Poster Number
24
You Can Do This! Mentorship Support and Memorable Messages on the Motivations and Successes of First-Generation College Students
This study explores the different barriers to success that first-generation college (FGC) students face and the role that social support, specifically mentorship, has on their motivations and successes. Mentors can help provide guidance and support for first-generation college students and can have a positive impact on their transition into higher education. This study looks at the impact of social support and mentoring relationships on first-generation college students and the memorable messages that they received from these sources of support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve FGC students who were either currently enrolled in a four-year university or who had previously been enrolled in a four-year university. Using a qualitative approach of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), relevant domains and themes were created to provide a thorough description of the data set. In total, three overarching domains were identified with eight themes to answer our research questions. Domains covered the areas of: 1) Barriers and Challenges 2) Sources of Support, 3) Sources of Memorable Messages. The results of the study reveal that memorable messages from mentors, specifically on-campus faculty, play a significant role in the motivations and successes of FGCS.
