Retention and Persistence: a Program Proposal for First-generation and Limited-income Students

As the number of first-generation and limited-income students increases, institutions of higher education must develop retention and persistence to graduation programs designed specifically for this population of students. This type of program should be created through a strengths-based lens and intended to celebrate the diversity of these students. To develop such a program, Student Affairs staff at four-year institutions should hold focus groups with their students who identify as first-generation and/or limited-income and research other four-year institutions with similar programs and published works by experts in the field. With this data and research, those in Student Affairs can design such a program that includes a pre-orientation and additional year-long programming. Alongside the data and research, Student Affairs staff should deploy emotional intelligence and practice adaptive leadership. Securing top-level administration support and collaborating with different departments across campus is key to the implementation and longevity for the program