For many first-generation students, the path from admission to the first day of classes is not a straight line. After an exciting orientation, they return home to months of waiting. During that time, doubts grow, family responsibilities compete for attention, and confidence begins to fade. Without structured support, the months between May and August can become a major point of melt.
The Purpose First Scholars Learning Community at Austin Peay State University is a learning community focused on career development for first-generation students. It is designed to help them build early belonging, connect their major to future career paths, and transition smoothly into college life. Students admitted into the program begin their journey with an exclusive overnight orientation instead of the traditional one-day event. They spend a full day in sessions, workshops, and activities, then stay overnight in a residence hall to preview campus life. The experience is high-energy and immersive, giving students an early sense of community and familiarity with campus.
However, after this event in late May, there are no traditional university touchpoints until August move-in. Without ongoing support and institutional contact, the excitement students feel can fade quickly, and small roadblocks can seem impossible to circumvent.
The Purpose First Scholars Summer Zoom Series was created to fill the long, quiet stretch between overnight orientation and Governors Orientation Weekend, Austin Peay’s big welcome event in August. Its purpose was simple: keep students connected, supported, and moving forward during a time when it is easy to lose momentum. GO Weekend includes required Purpose First sessions, campus activities, college welcome events, and time for students to reconnect, but that takes place months after orientation. The summer series gives students touchpoints in the meantime, so they do not feel alone while preparing for college.
During the summer, students are expected to finish financial aid, pay tuition, accept scholarships, confirm attendance, and buy books and supplies. These tasks can be overwhelming, and for some students, that stress is enough to stop them before they ever arrive on campus. The summer series helps make sure students do not fall through the cracks.
This past summer, the series consisted of five one-hour Zoom sessions held every two weeks throughout June, July, and early August. Each session focused on a practical topic first-generation students often find confusing or intimidating, including how to ask for help, academic professionalism and the hidden curriculum, campus jobs and Handshake, school supply recommendations, and a detailed overview of GO Weekend. The goal was simple: answer the questions students often do not know they should be asking and demystify the transition to college.
Students learned about the sessions during overnight orientation and received reminders through the Purpose First Scholars Instagram page, university email, and GroupMe messages from peer leaders. Parents who opted in to communications also received reminders and were asked to encourage participation. Sessions were cameras-on but mics-off, with time at the end for questions. Each session closed with a short learning survey, and feedback was consistently positive. Attendance averaged around 35 to 40 students per session, and these participants have remained some of the most consistently engaged throughout the academic year.
The sessions were recorded and uploaded to the Purpose First Scholars YouTube channel for anyone who could not attend live. This allowed late admits and busy students to catch up at their own pace. As recruitment continued and new students joined the program, the recordings became an essential tool for keeping everyone informed and aligned.
By the time GO Weekend arrived, it was clear that students who participated in the summer series showed up more confident, better informed, and already familiar with staff, peer leaders, and key campus processes. Their comfort navigating campus during the first week made a visible difference in their engagement and sense of belonging.
Next summer, we plan to build on this momentum by integrating a component in the learning management system, D2L. Students will complete small assignments, participate in discussion boards, and engage with each other before arriving on campus. This will give them early experience using the platform they will rely on during the academic year and strengthen peer connections even sooner.
Summer is not downtime for first-generation students. It is a vulnerable and defining transition period. When institutions stay present during those quiet months, students arrive not just ready to succeed but confident they belong. And for first-generation students, that confidence can change everything.
For more information on Austin Peay State University's approach, please visit their website here.
