National First-Generation College Celebration, Nov. 8, 2023

POSTED ON Nov 09, 2023

The University of Washington Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma campuses participated in the National First-Generation College Celebration for the sixth consecutive year.

This nationwide event, led by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Center for First-Generation Student Success, is observed on November 8th each year.

It is a day intended to celebrate the achievements and contributions of first-generation college students, faculty members, and staff across the nation.

First-generation college students come from diverse backgrounds, representing all genders and various economic, social, racial, and geographic groups.

However, students from historically marginalized groups tend to have higher representation among first-generation degree-seekers.

The percentage of first-gen students is increasing. The states with the most significant increases are Rhode Island (57.56%), Delaware (39.02%), Alaska (27.37%), Idaho (22.84%), and Louisiana (20.78%).

However, some states have seen declines in first-gen enrollment, including North Dakota (-41.34%), Maine (-22.55%), Minnesota (-20.90%), South Dakota (-20.24%), New Mexico (-14.85%).

Students whose parents did not attend college are more likely to come from racial minority backgrounds, identify as female, have dependents, have served in the military, and come from low-earning or immigrant households.

NASPA also provides data on the representation of first-gen college students among various race and ethnicity groups:

American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander – 54%

Asian – 39%

Black or African American – 59%

Hispanic or Latino – 60%

White – 36%

NASPA reports that although female students outnumber male students in the overall population of college enrollees, they make up a larger percentage of first-generation students.

Many first-generation college students are also first-generation Americans. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), around 10% of first-gen students were first-generation immigrants, while 23% had foreign-born parents.

In contrast, 18% of continuing-generation college students had foreign-born parents, and only 8% were foreign-born themselves.

First-generation college students of age 30 or older constitute 28% of the cohort, compared to only 16% of continuing-generation college students, according to NASPA.

6% Of All Undergraduates Are First-Generation College Students

California – 46.54% of college students in California are the first in their family to go to college.

Rhode Island – 44.62% of college students in Rhode Island are the first in their family to go to college.

Arizona – 43.76% of college students in Arizona are the first in their family to go to college.

Louisiana – 43.17% of college students in Louisiana are the first in their family to go to college.

Texas -43.50% of college students in Texas are the first in their family to go to college.

The UW is proud to participate in the National First-Gen College Celebration on Nov. 8. https://t.co/vkaxQBWak9 #CelebrateFirstGen #BeTheFirst @uwartsci

— UW Jackson School (@UWJSIS) November 8, 2023

TONIGHT, 6-7 pm ET, we'll again broadcast the 7th annual National First-Generation College Celebration Event! Panelists from business giants discuss their journeys & how they create opps for future #firstgen leaders. Register at https://t.co/nn9vcrrz1f. #CelebrateFirstGen pic.twitter.com/o5VZdiIhOS

— Center for First-generation Student Success (@FirstgenCenter) November 8, 2023