Texas Wesleyan University president Emily Messer still remembers her first day of college. Nervous about parking and finding her class, she showed up an hour early.
“I was anxious, obviously, being a first-time college student,” Messer said. “Whether you’re first generation or not, I think that’s an anxious time for students.”
Messer was a first-generation college student herself, and the university she leads has now been recognized for supporting students like her. Texas Wesleyan recently joined the FirstGen Forward Network, an organization highlighting schools committed to supporting first-generation college students.
Being in the network means school officials can partner with other colleges and experts on professional development that furthers such work.
Such students made up 56% of Texas Wesleyan’s student enrollment last fall, up from 54% the previous year and 42% in 2018, according to school data.
“Within this network, Texas Wesleyan will continue to lead with best practices that support first-generation students,” Texas Wesleyan president Emily Messer said in a release. “This recognition connects us with institutions that share our mission, allowing us to collaborate, share resources and design support systems that truly change the trajectory of students’ lives.”
FirstGen Forward is a collaboration between National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the Suder Foundation, a nonprofit that supports first generation students through philanthropy.
Among the ways Texas Wesleyan supports first-generation students is through Rams Rising Student Support Program. It provides resources to students in the Tarrant To & Through Partnership who are first-generation or Pell Grant recipients.
Pell Grants are a form of federal financial aid given to students from low-income families that are not required to be repaid.
Half of Texas Wesleyan undergraduates received Pell Grants during the 2022-23 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
“We are excited to join the FirstGen Forward Network,” said David Monge, director of Rams Rising. “Our program is centered on retention by creating opportunities for success. Being part of this network only enhances our ability to meet students where they are and help them achieve their goals.”
Looking to the upcoming academic year, Messer is excited for First Generation College Celebration on Nov. 8.
“That (day) is something that — at other institutions I’ve worked at — we have celebrated through this organization, and so we look forward to doing that now that we have this designation,” she said.
McKinnon Rice is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at mckinnon.rice@fortworthreport.org.
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