Programs for “first-gen” students net positive results

About 15 percent of all students on the Ann Arbor campus are the first in their families to attend college. This past spring, Michigan made a concerted effort to respond to the unique challenges these “1st Gens” face.

The most high-profile project was the launch of a new website—firstgen.studentlife.umich.edu—which went live in March 2016. Developed with input from its intended users, the site’s purpose is to help 1st Gen students locate the information they need, from academic support and financial aid to student services and diversity programs, to thrive in every way at Michigan.

The campus life section addresses everything from U-M software apps, bus route information, university media, a UM-isms and acronym decoder and an introduction to Greek life to athletics, arts and culture. The site is also interactive, encouraging first-generation students, alumni, staff and faculty to share their experiences online.

In April 2016, the university sponsored a symposium to help lower the barriers 1st Gens may encounter without a family roadmap for the college experience. “Are You First?” featured breakout sessions to raise awareness about first-generation students on campus and to stimulate networking opportunities among student groups that exist to assist this special segment of the student body.