FirstGen Forward Convening Texas Higher Ed Leaders for Conversation on Advancing First-generation Student Success

This half-day convening will gather institutional leaders and help them assess their institution’s readiness to transform through a first-generation student lens.

WASHINGTON, DC (April 13, 2026)—FirstGen Forward today announced it will convene executive and institutional leadership teams from Texas higher education institutions for a focused, leadership-centered conversation to advance first-generation student success.

FirstGen Forward is engaging with 33 institutions across Texas, representing an estimated 170,000 first-generation undergraduate students in Fall 2024, based on IPEDS data. Nine institutions have advanced to the Network Leader and Champion phases. These institutions are actively leveraging data for decision-making and outperforming other Texas-based institutions outside the Network. As of Fall 2023, the nine Texas FirstGen Forward Network institutions report an average first-to-second-year retention rate of 73.0%, exceeding the statewide average of 65.8% and the national average of 69.5%. This strong performance reflects meaningful progress at both the state and national levels. Because first-to-second-year retention is a leading indicator of student completion, these results underscore the significant impact and forward momentum of the Texas FirstGen Forward Network in supporting student success.

“There are more than 200 colleges and universities in Texas, and enrollment by first-generation students in Texas has more than tripled in recent years,” said Dr. Stephanie J. Bannister, President of FirstGen Forward. “At the same time, we know from our research that there is a big gap between graduation rates for continuing-generation students and first-generation students. The need for Texas institutions to prioritize first-generation student success has never been greater.”

During the convening in June, leaders from colleges and universities from around the state will conduct an institutional self-assessment, talk to leaders from other institutions about the programs and strategies that really work, examine institutional readiness and alignment, and gain clarity on the benefits and expectations of engaging with FirstGen Forward—including coaching, tools, and access to a national peer network. Participants will receive complimentary accommodations to support their participation, as well as complimentary registration for the NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education.

“Institutions that are committed to first-generation student success do not need to reinvent the wheel. Our Network model is a way to learn from other institutions, maybe in the same geographic area or with the same population or maybe just with the same goals, and to explore the data and evidence that’s available, ” said Dr. Martina Martin, Vice President of the FirstGen Forward Network. “This convening in Texas is about understanding the state’s opportunities and challenges and working together to make a long-term commitment to achieving and sustaining a standard of excellence in how first-generation students are served.”

By the end of the event, leaders will be able to identify priority opportunities to improve first-generation student success and determine clear next steps to advance this work on their campuses. They will also gain the knowledge and tools they need to assess whether their institution is ready to join the FirstGen Forward Network, an evidence-based, three-phase journey that guides institutions as they make changes to the ways they support first-gen students. To date, more than 470 institutions of higher education have been accepted into the Network, representing 47 states and the District of Columbia.

“Supporting first-generation students is not just about seeing them succeed in college,” Bannister said. “It’s about supporting them so they succeed in their career, for their families, for their communities. The success of first-gen students in Texas is integral to the success of the Texas economy overall.”

Recognizing the growing representation of first-generation students in Texas and the important economic impact, FirstGen Forward is grateful for the support from the Moody Foundation, Abell-Hanger Foundation, T.L.L. Temple Foundation, and the Powell Foundation.

For more information on joining the convening on June 11 in Austin, TX, visit the Forward Together: FirstGen Together page.

For more on the FirstGen Forward Network, or to learn more about the organization, visit firstgenforward.org.

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ABOUT FIRSTGEN FORWARD

FirstGen Forward is the center for first-generation student success– your premier source for evidence-based approaches, data-informed strategies, professional development, and research. Together, we are building community and belonging through the FirstGen Forward Network, knowledge creation and evidence-based practices, and thought leadership and advocacy, transforming higher education and the student success landscape guided by a first-gen lens.