By Aaliyah Pinkney<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This spring, 59 identified first-generation college students are expected to graduate from Hood, marking a significant milestone in their academic journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Pew Research Center, adults aged 22 to 59 whose parents earned a college degree were three times more likely to attain a bachelor\u2019s degree than those whose parents did not attend college. These figures reflect the broader challenges that first-generation students often face in accessing and completing higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, First Gen Forward, an organization dedicated to advancing first-generation student success, reported that the six-year graduation rate for first-generation students was 24%, compared to 59% for students whose parents attended college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, Hood College\u2019s outcomes exceed national averages. Among first-generation students who began at Hood in Fall 2018, the six-year graduation rate reached 55.8%, closely aligned with that of their continuing-generation peers, according to Shaowei Wu, director of institutional research and assessment at Hood College. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pew Research Center highlighted that the U.S. college enrollment process is often complex and multilayered. \u201cEnrolling in U.S. higher education is a complicated multistep process that includes completing college prep coursework in high school and navigating the admissions and financial aid process,\u201d the report stated. This complexity is easier to manage for students whose parents have previously gone through the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asiayonna Jones, a graduating first-generation student, described the emotional and academic barriers she encountered: \u201cNot everyone gets the barriers and adversity that first-generation students face. It can be so lonely and isolating because you\u2019re doing something that no one in your family has done before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these challenges, Jones found personal motivation and purpose in her role as a role model. \u201cI have a 4-year-old niece, and she\u2019s my motivation. I want her to grow up and see the example I set for her and know that she can be or do anything,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jones also credited her family with providing critical emotional and practical support. \u201cMy family is so proud of me. They\u2019ve supported me in so many ways, including listening to me rant about assignments, sending me items or money when I needed it, and always encouraging me to make it to the finish line,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking ahead, Jones plans to attend Howard University in the fall to pursue a Master of Social Work. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be going there without the support of all my professors here at Hood,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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