~ The original story was posted on the Winthrop University website. 

The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education – and The Suder Foundation, has designated Winthrop University as one of its 2021-22 First-gen Forward Institutions. 

The First-gen Forward designation recognizes institutions of higher education that have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. Selected institutions receive professional development, community-building experiences and a first look at the center’s research and resources.

“As a first-generation college graduate, I am keenly aware of the challenges associated with navigating higher education: the use of unfamiliar terminology, the assumption that one knows how to ‘do’ college, or that one even knows what questions to ask,” said Shelia Burkhalter, Winthrop’s vice president for student affairs.

“Student Affairs is excited to work with TRiO Achievers Program, the McNair Scholars program and the rest of the Winthrop community to think more strategically about serving first-gen students at Winthrop,” she continued. “While we look forward to advancing the success of first-generation students, the student success literature confirms that efforts to advance first-generation students will ultimately benefit all students on campus.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 33 percent of higher education students today are the first in their family to attend college. Winthrop mirrors the national statistic, Burkhalter said, noting that approximately one-third of Winthrop students identify as first-generation, when defined as a student whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree.

That population includes Imani Belton, an integrated marketing communication major and chair of the Council of Student Leaders (CSL), Winthrop’s student government body.

“Throughout my time at Winthrop, I’ve been able to connect with first-generation faculty, staff and students, which has made my collegiate experience 10 times better because of bonds we’ve created,” she said. “Being a first-generation student is a point of pride for me and other Winthrop students who have benefitted from learning on a campus that provides outreach and services for students like us.”

Winthrop has already made significant strides in first-generation student support and outcomes:

*The TRiO Achievers Program has supported first-generation students for more than 15 years, providing students with a variety of services such as personalized academic counseling, tutoring, individualized needs assessment and more.

*Since 2009, the McNair Scholars program has prepared first-generation, low-income and underrepresented undergraduates to be successful in Ph.D. programs through research, extensive support, and transformational opportunities throughout the junior and senior years.

*Within the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of the Vice President as well as the Diversity and Student Engagement office facilitate events to celebrate first-generation students and graduates (for example, among the faculty and staff) and to raise awareness regarding issues impacting first-generation student success.

“Through the application process, it was evident that Winthrop University is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a long-term commitment and employ strategies for significant scaling and important advances in the future,” said Sarah E. Whitley, senior director of the Center for First-generation Student Success.

To learn more about first-generation efforts at Winthrop, contact Burkhalter at burkhalters@winthrop.edu or Kinyata Adams Brown at brownka@winthrop.edu.

About NASPA and the Center for First-gen Student Success

NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education—is the leading association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Its work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries and eight U.S. territories. The Center for First-generation Student Success is the premier source of evidence-based practices, professional development and knowledge creation for the higher education community to advance the success of first-generation students. Visit www.naspa.org and www.firstgen.naspa.org for more information.

~ The original story was written by Alexandra McQueen, University Communications on March 4, 2o20 was posted on the UNC Greensboro News website.
Photography by Jiyoung Park, University Communications

UNC Greensboro is among a cohort of academic institutions nationwide being recognized for their commitment to supporting first-generation students. UNCG joins 76 other institutions in the cohort and is one of three North Carolina universities to receive the designation this year.

The Center for First-generation Student Success made the announcement on March 2. The center is an initiative of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education – and The Suder Foundation.

By federal definition, a first-generation student is a student whose parent or guardian did not graduate from a four-year institution.

The First-gen Forward designation recognizes institutions of higher education who have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. Selected institutions receive professional development, community-building experiences, and a first look at the center’s research and resources.

“Now, in its second year, First-gen Forward institutions continue to lead the nation by their commitment to first-generation student success,” said Dr. Sarah E. Whitley, senior director of the Center for First-generation Student Success. “The 2020-21 cohort consists of diverse institutions across the nation, and we are pleased to welcome UNC Greensboro for their long-term commitment and demonstrated strategies for scaling first-generation student initiatives.”

As a First-gen Forward Institution, select faculty and staff will be able to engage with peer and aspirational institutions who are also creating environments that improve the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students. Selected institutions will send representatives to the First-gen Forward Workshop to be held in Baltimore in June and will participate in monthly phone calls, virtual professional development, goal setting, blog development, annual reporting, and more. After two successful years in the program, institutions are eligible to apply for the Advisory leadership designation.

“We are very excited to be one of the few schools in the state of North Carolina with this designation, and we want prospective students to see our desire to serve them and help them to be successful,” said Kelli Thomas, coordinator for Residence Life, who started UNCG’s First G at the G program and leads it alongside Shelley Wald, associate dean of students. “This designation honors the work of so many staff, faculty, and other students that have given their time and efforts to promote and advocate for first-generation students at UNCG. It is our desire that this recognition from NASPA inspires more students to proudly identify as first-gen and encourages more support for the students in our community.”

UNCG strives to be a leader in maximizing student success, opportunity, and access and was recently ranked as the top university in North Carolina for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report. In the fall of 2019, 31% of UNCG students were first-generation, and 25% of those students were considered to be from low-income backgrounds. The University offers multiple programs, events, and aid to support these students. Below is a list of some of these offerings.

• Student Support Services This TRiO support program is designed to maximize academic performance for UNCG students who are first-generation students from modest income backgrounds, or who have a documented disability and demonstrate an academic need for services. Services include individual instruction in the development of academic skills; personalized academic counseling, financial aid literacy counseling, graduate/professional school guidance, and career coaching; and one-on-one tutoring in up to two courses each semester. The program is one of the longest-running programs of its kind in the nation. 211 students are in the program and 90% are first-generation.

• McNair Scholars Program This federally funded TRiO program prepares undergraduate first-generation students from low-income backgrounds and students who are members of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in graduate studies for the pursuit of doctoral degrees. UNCG’s McNair Scholars Program has 49 total participants, with 33 being first-generation students.

• First G at the G This is a week-long series of events in November to help first-generation students learn about campus resources and connect with each other, faculty, and staff. The goal of the week is to make the transition into college easier for first-generation students.

• Guarantee Scholars Program  As UNCG’s flagship student success program, it provides its participants a financial aid package that minimizes student debt, community learning experiences outside of the classroom, and personalized support though mentorship. This program works alongside its students to identify barriers to student success and develop innovative community-focused solutions. 75% of students in the program identify as first-generation.

“By being part of First G at UNCG, I am more aware of how first-generation students are impacted on college campuses and the amount of resources that are available to them,” said Kiara Hickman, president of the 1stG student organization.

Learn more about UNCG’s first-generation efforts at sa.uncg.edu/firstg.

Learn more about the Center for First-generation Student Success at firstgen.naspa.org.

Karla Badillo-Urquiola ’14 ’15MS strives to break stereotypes through her work and her community activism.

The awards are piling up for UCF McKnight Fellow Karla Badillo-Urquiola ’14 ’15MS who in the past two months has been named a McKnight Award winner and an Order of Pegasus Award recipient.

Badillo-Urquiola, a doctoral candidate in modeling and simulation, is committed to academic excellence, diversifying the STEM field and making an impact in her community.

Badillo-Urquiola’s research focuses on investigating the challenges teens in the foster care system face online and ways to empower them to have more control of their online safety.

“Teens in the foster care system are some of the most vulnerable to the most serious online sexual risks, such as sex trafficking,” says Badillo-Urquiola, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in modeling and simulation.  “My goal is to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how,’ and find tangible solutions to help them engage safely online.”

Seeking to understand teens within the foster community does not end in the lab. Through her volunteer work with the Foundation for Foster Children, she connects with teens and ensures her work is grounded in their reality.

“I want to have a direct impact on the people I interact with daily,” says Badillo-Urquiola, who also serves as an ambassador for an anti-sex trafficking nonprofit organization. To her it is invaluable to first understand her “users” before interpreting her data.

The Russell V. Ewald Academic Excellence and Order of Pegasus Awards are presented to students who sufficiently demonstrate their commitment to academic excellence and to community service; Badillo-Urquiola uniquely takes this initiative to heart by improving her research through her community service, and she hopes in the end helping the community.

As a Latina, she takes pride in being a role model for minority women and breaking stereotypes through her academic work and community activism. Badillo-Urquiola says she is no stranger to the assumptions that can often arise because of gender, ethnicity and her identity as a mother. She is expecting her second child while balancing the pursuit of a doctorate degree.

There tends to be an unspoken rule that you must choose between the roles of mother and student, and the current climate of STEM does little to dispel this mentality, she says.

“In academia we have this sense of culture where you have to be ‘more professional’ and family doesn’t seem to fit into that mentality,” says Badillo-Urquiola.

But Badillo-Urquiola is an example that being an excellent professional and having a family is achievable. After earning her degree, she plans on becoming a tenured professor.

She says that when she succeeds, she will join the 1 percent of Latinas nationwide that are tenured faculty at universities.

She will be presenting her research during Student Research Week March 30-April 3.

~ The original story was written by Simone Rosseau on February 26, 2020, in UCF Today. 

George Walters-Marrah is a junior biotechnology and molecular microbiology major at UCF. (Photo by Steven Diaz)

George Walters-Marrah was awarded a 2018 Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional research work by undergraduate sophomores and juniors in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. This year’s pool was narrowed down from a field of 1,280 students nominated from more than 2,000 colleges and universities nationwide.

Established by Congress in 1986, Goldwater Scholarships reward students with up to $7,500 per year. Recent recipients have gone on to receive Rhodes Scholarships, Marshall Awards, Churchill Scholarships and Hertz Fellowships, among other distinguished awards.

Walters-Marrah, a biotechnology and molecular microbiology major at the University of Central Florida, was named as a scholar as a result of his research on Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), an environmental mycobacteria often found in bodies of water and decomposing vegetation.

“I’m very honored to actually get this scholarship,” Walters-Marrah says. “I’ve heard a lot about the prestige of the Goldwater Scholarship. It is a magnet for other opportunities.”

Walters-Marrah is a McNair Scholar, Stokes Scholar, and was selected to participate in a National Science Foundation-funded research experience for undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. His involvement in three different research projects since his freshman year has secured him multiple small grants, as well as a spot on UCF’s Student Undergraduate Research Council. He is also an undergraduate research assistant in Kyle Rohde’s lab at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. His current research is seeking to discover virulence factors that allow Mab to persist in the body, avoid clearance by the immune system, and resist antibiotic therapy.

In the past two years, the UCF McNair Program has produced two Goldwater Scholars.

Original story written by Ashley Garrett was posted on UCF Today on April 5, 2018.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based masters and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. The program’s purpose is to ensure a diverse population among the scientific and engineering fields. Benefits include a three-year annual stipend of $34,000, a $12,000 annual cost-of-education allowance, international research and professional development opportunities.

The three scholars awarded the fellowships are excited about their future research careers.  Antonia Bass is in her second year in the Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Stephanie Quiles-Matos is in her first year in the Doctoral Program in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech.  Samantha Mensah graduates this year from UCF and will be attending a doctoral program in Chemistry.

When asked how the McNair Program assisted them, each of the scholars emphasized the importance of the personal and graduate school preparation support the program provided. Quiles-Matos stated, “Honestly, I would not even be in graduate school without the support and mentorship that the McNair Scholar program provided me. As a McNair Scholar I was encouraged to participate in research, a concept I was unfamiliar with as a first-generation student. The McNair team helped me realize, that even as a non-traditional student, I could achieve my goals of graduating college and going onto graduate school.”

Mensah explained that she received much technical support in regards to the NSF GRFP application. “The staff of McNair are extremely knowledgeable on how to make a great application. We work on specific sections such as broader impacts and presenting research from the very beginning of the program. My entire cohort in McNair was working on our applications together and there was an entire team of people helping and checking each other’s work.” Beyond technical help, Mensah appreciated the community created by the McNair program. “McNair is a family. Scholars and mentors that support and lift each other up and always cheer the other on. It can be daunting to tread the waters of academia, especially graduate school, but McNair has been a large reason why I feel confident in my next step.”

Bass highlighted that the support she received from McNair inspired her to give back. “I believe my participation in the McNair program played a great part in getting to where I am today. Their effort to promote underrepresented and first-generation students in STEM fields was what inspired me to pursue a PhD and expand my knowledge within the field of biology. The experience I attained during my participation in the McNair Program motivated me to become a role model for other diverse individuals to pursue a STEM degree and career. I am proud to be a part of a group of graduate scholars focused on fostering the success of underrepresented scientists, which is an important goal that is supported by the NSF GRFP.”

Since 2007,  fifteen University of Central Florida McNair scholars have been awarded NSF fellowships and four scholars have received honorable mentions. The program sends a special thanks to Dr. Robin Walker from the University of Missouri, Columbia for her amazing work with the scholars over the past several years.

UCF McNair Scholar Winners, Current Graduate Institutions, and Year Awarded:

• Antonia Bass, University of Pennsylvania (2017)
• Stephanie Matos, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2017)
• Samantha Mensah (2017)
• Serenela Pelier, University of Florida (2016)
• Monica Thomas, Duke University (2013)
• Tatiana Viecco, Cambridge University (2013)
• Lilian Milanes, University of Kentucky (2012)
• Christina Restrepo, University of Central Florida (2012)
• Elise Hernandez, University of Michigan (2011)
• Rene Diaz, Georgia Tech University (2010)
• Keon Vereen, University of Washington (2010)
• Anamary Leal, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2010)
• Roberto Miguez, University of Michigan (2009)
• Melonie Sexton Williams, Vanderbilt University (2009)
• Enrique Ortiz, University of Central Florida (2007)

“Long gone are the days when students could graduate from a university and not do research. If you have any intentions of going on to do any sort of advanced graduate work, and if you have any intentions of finding funding for your research for your graduate studies, you must do research,” said Assistant Vice Provost for Access and Success E. George Simms.

Hosted by the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program at FIU, the FIU McNair Scholars Research Conference provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research to peers, faculty and experts in their field.

The conference will take place Oct. 14-16 and is open to all FIU students, as well as students from universities around the world. Last year’s participants included students from Marquette University, Binghamton University, the University of the West Indies and more.

Simms said the goal of the McNair program and conference is to prepare students for top-notch universities and to apply for research funding once they’re in graduate school.

“In the highly competitive world that is now applying for graduate schools, having something like great research—and especially mentored research, where you have a well-known person in that field writing a letter of recommendation, working with that student on producing a really publishable project—really helps students stand out from the horde,” said Steven Fernandez, director of the McNair Program.

The McNair Conference is designed to guide undergraduate students through the research process and showcase their findings to the professional community.

At the conference, students will have the chance to present their research in both oral and poster formats, participate in a graduate school fair and hear from guest speakers who are leaders in their fields of study.

During the research process, students must work with faculty mentors who oversee their work and guide them through the process of gathering information and producing a paper ready for publishing.

“When you start at the undergraduate level, it gives you a really big step forward because you already know what you are going to use in your application if you go to graduate school,” said Department of Earth and Environment professor Florentin Maurrasse, who serves as a mentored with the McNair Program.

Maurrasse’s first mentee in the McNair Program was alumnus Jose Ilaguno ’14, who presented his research on sedimentology in Spain at last year’s McNair Conference. His research compared the current period of global warming to previous periods of global warming using the method of carbon sequestration, which compares carbon isotopes in layers of the ocean floor to determine climate conditions millions of years ago.

Because of his experience researching with Maurrasse and presenting at the McNair Conference, Ilaguno decided to continue at FIU to earn his master’s in geosciences.

“You get the feeling that they do want to help you from the bottom of their heart,” he said. “It’s almost like they’re your family.”

This article was originally posted on July 27, 2015 on FIU News . Click here to read the original article.

As one of the 10 State University System students in Florida selected to receive a Frost Scholarship, Puentes will be awarded full funding to attain her Master of Pharmacology degree at the university in England. The program is supported by the Phillip and Patricia Frost Philanthropic Foundation.

Puentes will graduate this summer at UCF with a Bachelor of Biotechnology, and said she hopes to continue pharmaceutical research that one day will have global impact. She said her ultimate goal is to work in the biotech industry and develop biological therapeutics that can specifically target diseased tissue or tumors without affecting healthy organs. After Oxford, Puentes plans to attend the pharmacology Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has already been accepted.

Puentes was born in Bogota, Colombia, and was reared in Mount Dora. As a first-generation college student, she said she took advantage of various resources available, such as attending the Summer Research Academy sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and becoming involved in Multicultural Academic and Support Services. She also was selected to become a McNair Scholar by the UCF Academic Advancement Programs, was encouraged to apply for summer research opportunities and was selected to participate in the Leadership Alliance internship at Brown University.

After returning to UCF with research experience and a clear focus, Puentes began to conduct research on Alzheimer’s disease under the mentorship of Dr. Suren Tatulian. As a result of her academic achievements, Puentes was selected for the National Science Foundation’s Young Entrepreneur and Scholar program at UCF, which provided her with funding to conduct research.

Puentes credits the McNair Scholars Program for presenting her with opportunities to grow as a student and build her confidence.

In addition to being accepted at Oxford, she was accepted to other highly rated Ph.D. programs that offered funding packages.

Her advice to other transfer and first-generation college students is to seek out resources before or as soon as they step onto the UCF campus and get involved in opportunities that will have a direct positive impact on their future goals.

“Through the McNair Scholars Program and with the immense guidance of everyone in it, I was able to not only set out a plan that would eventually lead me to graduate school,” she said, “I was also able to learn something truly unique about myself: to not be afraid to dream big.”

The UCF McNair Scholars Program, coordinated by Academic Advancement Programs, assists participants in gaining admission to graduate programs leading to a doctorate. McNair is funded by the U.S. Department of Education through its Office of Federal TRiO Programs.

Story originally posted on UCF Today. 

Walker plans to continue her doctoral studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign while being sponsored by DuPont. The GEM fellowship provides a $16,000 stipend, which encompasses full tuition and fees, as well as a living stipend, and a paid internship with Walker’s sponsoring company, DuPont.

Additional information about the fellowship can be found at: http://www.gemfellowship.org

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which is federally-funded at 158 institutions by the U.S. Department of Education, is designed to prepare students for post-baccalaureate degrees by encouraging research and faculty mentorship. The program, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary at UCF this year, has included 132 scholars.

Melonie Williams Sexton graduated from UCF in 2007 with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and political science. She conducted research on the production of false memories alongside faculty mentor Dr. Alvin Wang, dean of UCF’s Burnett Honors College.

Williams Sexton said the McNair Scholars Program prepared her to pursue an advanced degree by exposing her to research and giving her the opportunity to present at national and international conferences.

“Participating in the McNair Scholars Program has ultimately defined my career,” she said. “Because of the McNair Scholars Program, I was already aware of the rigors of research that were expected at the graduate level.”

This spring, Williams Sexton will become the first McNair Scholar from UCF’s program to receive a Ph.D., earning a degree in cognitive neuroscience from Vanderbilt University. She has accepted a position as an academic advisor at Vanderbilt, where she will also teach and continue her research.

UCF senior Sara Bolivar Wagers, a molecular biology and microbiology major, will travel to Germany this summer to conduct research on infectious disease at the Paul Ehrlich Institute. Under the mentorship of Dr. Yvonne Maldonado from Stanford University, Bolivar Wagers has already been awarded at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students and presented her research on polio at STEM conferences.  Bolivar Wages was also a former participant in the PRIME STEM Program and is currently mentored by biology Professor Linda Walters.

“The McNair Scholars Program has motivated me to continue to do well in school while balancing my attendance at all of the great research conferences that I get to travel to in order to present my research,” said Bolivar Wagers.

Since the McNair Scholars Program was first funded at UCF, 88 percent of its participants have gone on to attend graduate or professional schools. Four of UCF’s McNair Scholars have received the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s highest honor, and eight have served on the President’s Leadership Council.

The McNair Scholars receive individualized academic and personal support from program staff members, and they are offered GRE preparation courses and free workshops on the graduate school application process, financial aid, scholarships and fellowships.

To be eligible for the McNair program, students must take courses full time and either be U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents. They must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0, have completed 60 credit hours and have a serious interest in pursuing a doctoral degree. Students must also qualify as a low-income student who is a first-generation college student or a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education.

“The McNair Scholars Program means having an academic family and community that will always be there to support you,” said Williams Sexton. “Even if you’re not from the same college, McNair Scholars universally know what it means to be a part of something special.”

For more information about the McNair Scholars Program at UCF, visit http://www.mcnair.ucf.edu.

Article originally posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 in UCF Today by Valerie Moses.