Moving from Access to Success: How First-Generation Students of Color Can Build Resilience in Higher Education through Mentorship

In recent years, the enrollment of first-generation students of color in higher education has increased across the nation, reflecting a slight improvement in college access for them. However, first-generation students of color continue to face a variety of challenges which impede their social and academic success and contribute to low retention rates at the university. In this article, I propose a holistic approach to mentorship to support first-generation students of color in their transition to college. I start this article with my scholarly narrative as a first-generation student of color and how my mentors played an important role in helping me build resilience in higher education. I also discuss guidelines to model an ethic of care and build resilience through mentorship