Nestled within the perimeter of Atlanta is a hidden campus dating back to 1835. Oglethorpe University, a small, liberal arts, private, four-year institution serves roughly 1,200 students. Of those 1,200 students, over 40% identify as first generation college students—and this number is growing. At Oglethorpe, “first-generation” is defined as neither parents nor guardians have completed a four-year degree in the United States. What does this mean? A little more than 500 students are encountering, experiencing, and achieving opportunities that their parents or guardians have not. Over 500 students are embarking on a path full of unknowns and uncertainties. So how does Oglethorpe respond to this rising community? How does the institution ensure its readiness for the unique skills and needs of a first-generation community?
The Department of Equity and Care, established in 2024, now houses the Office of First-Generation Students. This office was established to prepare the University and to provide support for students identifying as first-gen. While Oglethorpe has held programs and scholarships in previous years, the Department of Equity and Care and the Office of First Gen robustly revamped programs to support students’ needs. In 2024, Oglethorpe University welcomed 16 first-gen first-year students a week before classes started for a Summer Bridge Transitional Program. The Summer Bridge program was designed to prepare first-gen, first-year students for the transition into college, to acclimate to campus, and to build community. In Summer 2025, numbers jumped from 16 students to 50 students participating in the Summer Bridge Program.
During the Summer Bridge, students were given the opportunity to move onto campus early and engage in weeklong programming specifically designed to help first-generation college students thrive at Oglethorpe University. Programming consisted of interdepartmental collaboration to build confidence in students’ ability to navigate campus resources. The days were filled with sessions led by the Financial Aid office, the Office of Student Success, IT, and the Career Development Office—to name a few. The evenings were spent on and off campus, building community with each other, learning about the Atlanta area, and meeting with their future faculty. The week ended with participation in service projects in the Atlanta area, benefitting non-profit organizations within the community, and finally seeming in with the school-wide orientation sessions for all first-year students.
The Participants of the Summer Bridge were placed in a First-Year Seminar Course, required of all incoming first-year students, in the fall. In the spring, students participated in a Career Development and Exploration course for a true cohort experience. The spring semester course, designed by the Career Development Office, is specifically tailored to first-generation students entering college and eventually the workforce.
Alongside the two courses, students were matched with peer mentors. These peer mentors applied, interviewed, and were selected to serve the incoming students through one-on-one check-ins, group check-ins, and programming consisting of one social event and one skills-based event a month. Students were paired with college success coaches, students who also applied, interviewed and were selected to guide students through study skills, time management, and accountability—key areas identified by students needing support. The department hosts monthly workshops open to all students, bringing in speakers on varying topics, including: Leading as an Academic Scholar, Preventing Burnout, and Financial Literacy.
And the results? Students in the 24-25 academic year averaged a 3.12 GPA and showed greater persistence than non-cohort program students at the institution. Students displayed more help-seeking behaviors, including visiting office hours, the writing center, time management coaches, etc. Students joined and/or started over 34 clubs around campus, including organizations focused on their majors—including accounting, business, physics clubs, as well as organizations based on interests, like book club, video game club, or cheer team, and leadership organizations like student government or resident assistants.
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One class of 2028 student writes, “First off, I want to say how incredibly grateful I am for the first-generation programs at Oglethorpe. As someone who didn’t have family guidance from people who had already gone through college, the cohort has truly made a difference in my experience. It has connected me with mentors and peers who understand and relate to my journey. These programs have helped me grow tremendously as I’ve been able to access amazing opportunities from volunteer work to internships.” - TS ‘28
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