KU School of Business assists first-generation students through mentors and resources
One-third of all college students in the U.S. were first-generation students in 2022, and nearly five million students fall under this category, according to Bankrate.com. Typically, a first-generation student has parents who did not complete a four-year university degree, even if other family members have. While this definition may vary by some institutions, typically parents with some college experience still qualify their children as first-generation students.
As of August 2022, only 20% of first-generation students in the U.S. have completed a four-year degree at a university, as stated by Bankrate.com. According to Forbes, 35.99% of students in Kansas are first-generation students, as of June 2023.
At the University of Kansas, 2,873 students are first-generation, approximately 14% of total enrollment in fall 2023, according to the university’s Analytics, Institutional Research and Effectiveness office. A student is considered first generation if none of their parents or guardians received a bachelor’s degree.
KU provides resources such as I Am First Too, a program at KU that helps first-generation students to build their network and connect with a community.
The School of Business supports first-generation students through the Multicultural Business Scholars Program (MBSP). This program allows students to access resources to help them succeed in their undergraduate career. Tools such as scholarships, faculty mentorship, academic support services and other social programming services help students to engage in a business career of their choice. The goal is to help retain students throughout their undergraduate career and connect them with post-graduate resources and experiences.
“I can speak on my own experience as a first-generation student to say that there can also be a first-generation professional barrier,” said Morgan States, DEIB professional and alumni engagement coordinator. “I felt like I started thinking about my post-collegiate experiences later than my peers. I didn’t have any mentors until the later part of my college career because I didn’t know that I needed them.”
It can be difficult for first-generation students to pave their path toward a post-graduate career with the lack of networking resources. Through mentorships and university resources, students can receive assistance in transitioning into undergraduate and post-graduate careers.
Recruiting first-generation college students to the School of Business starts with the Summer Venture in Business (SVB) program. This program aims to familiarize high school students with underrepresented backgrounds with aspects of the college experience. Students explore business topics, programs and tools to apply to the university.
“Potential first-generation college students are one of the many diverse student populations I focus on as the pre-collegiate program coordinator,” said Dyamond Ross, who’s a School of Business DEIB staff member. “SVB is one program where we tend to recruit a lot of potential first-generation college to study business at KU.”
Students choose KU because of multiple factors, and that process is similar for first-generation students. While financial factors may come into play, factors such as academic offerings, distance from home and affordability are typical factors students consider in a university. However, the connection students create with the campus help seal the decision.
“KU stood out to me due to the experiences I had with advisors when coming to visit prior to accepting my offer here,” said Hannah Davis, a senior supply chain major and first-generation student at KU. “The staff genuinely are on your team, and given I had very little understanding of college to fall back on, this provided me with a lot of reassurance someone would always be there to support me throughout my college journey.”
The opportunities and supportive staff of the School of Business help KU stand out among other schools. While statistics and logistics matter, students seek connections and mentors that will help guide them through their college experience. Without having the blueprints of their parents to follow, it’s important that students have support from others during their college journey.
The professional, post-graduate barrier is the toughest for first-generation students. Without previous guidance from parents and guardians, there isn’t an example for students to follow. At the School of Business, resources such as MBSP assist in setting students up with connections and mentors to facilitate post-graduate success.
Students are invited to attend Letters to First-Generation students on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the Atrium. Here, students can write a letter to a first-generation student and develop a virtual survival kit word cloud.
Learn more about the School of Business and these programs at business.ku.edu/deib.
By Lauren Hartwig
