Abstract
In the realms of higher education, the term “first-generation” is a buzzword and many universities pride themselves on the amount of first-generation students that inhabit their campuses. Broadly, first-generation college students are students whose parents did not attend nor graduate from a 4-year institution. First-generation students face unique challenges when compared to their continuing-generation peers and this can sometimes stem from a cultural mismatch. While there is much research done on the first-generation experience transitioning to college, there exists very little research to understand the first-generation experience transitioning out of college. This is startling as it could provide insights as to why first-generation students have difficulties finding high-quality job opportunities upon graduation. My project focused on these transitional experiences for first-generation students, as informed by eight 60-minute semi-structured interviews with recent graduates from a selective, research institution who are currently working full-time near a large Midwestern city. To make sense of the interviews, I coded using grounded theory. I decided to view my participants’ words as parts to their stories with the purpose of showcasing their narratives and what it means to be a first-generation college student. My data provided insights to confirm a cultural mismatch between the values of first-generation individuals and the values of their university and workplaces. There also existed and currently exists strong knowledge gaps between the individuals and their institutions. Nonetheless, the alumni were motivated by their collective purpose and were supported by their communities, many of which were identity based. Additionally, their narratives shared they would have benefited from a stronger first-generation senior specific community. These findings can be useful for both higher education institutions and workplaces in developing inclusive strategies to best support first-generation students and alumni.