Dr. Seuss once said that "The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you'll go." Idaho State University’s (ISU) first generation students are blazing those paths and learning firsthand the opportunities that education has to offer. They are seeking opportunities not just for themselves, but also to help others find their own way through education.
For many first-gen ISU students, the start of their higher education journey begins in 8th through 12th grade as they enter into either the TRIO Educational Talent Search (ETS) or TRIO Upward Bound Programs (UBP).
TRIO ETS and UBP are federally-funded programs designed to expand educational access for high school students and support them as they enroll in postsecondary education.
They Provide:
● Tutoring
● Advising
● College and Career Preparation
These programs equip students with the confidence and skills to start college.
However, high school TRIO programs aren't the sole pathway for potential first-generation students to have support along their educational journey. First-generation students can also be
non-traditional students who do not immediately enter college after high school or students who are looking for resources to obtain their GED diploma.
For those students, Idaho State University has several adult education programs that can serve as entry points for many different types of individual lived experiences. Students in this pathway can expect to receive these types of services from one of the following programs:
● TRIO Veterans Program: Expands educational access for first-generation veterans and their families.
● TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers: Provides financial aid, GED attainment, and college enrollment support to first-generation students who either had a gap in their education or stopped out before finishing.
● ISU’s High School Equivalency Program (HEP): Guides individuals and families with farming backgrounds in obtaining their GED and support toward an e ducational or career pathway.
No matter where they started their journey, Idaho’s first-gen students often enroll at ISU. Many will join the Bengal Bridge Program, a transitional academic program designed to increase early college support for those entering college for the first time. As part of the largest postsecondary bridge program in the state, students engage in an academically strong environment rooted in general education courses and combined with supplemental instruction, tutoring, faculty mentoring, and advising.
Afterward, Bengal Bridge students are actively recruited into the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program where they receive proactive advising, tutoring, financial guidance, college-to-career connections, and overall academic support throughout their entire undergraduate program. Upon completion, first-generation students often realize that they are now the first in their family to earn a four-year degree, becoming the highest educated person in their family. This is a joyful and pride-filled moment not just for those first-generation students, but also for the mentors who helped guide them to this milestone.
Even still, the first-gen journey continues, as graduates are typically at a crossroads. Should they pursue a professional career or continue into graduate programs? Some have chosen to become TRIO McNair Scholars and enter doctoral programs upon undergraduate completion. Some have instead found a passion for a professional career that their bachelor’s degree leads them into.
Many of them choose to not just enter the professional workforce, but to work in positions that serve students just like them. ISU’s TRIO programs are staffed with an overwhelming percentage of first-generation graduates who were once in the very programs they’re choosing to work for. Why? Because these programs impact students so deeply that they are compelled to shape future first-generation students and support them in their own educational journeys.
Reflecting on ISU’s role in the FirstGen Forward Network, we wanted to showcase the unique first-generation pipeline our university has created. One that supports not only first-generation students in completing their education, but also helps build the next generation of university professionals. In this video, you’ll see Fatima Castro, a new First-Generation TRIO ETS Professional and ISU TRIO Alumnus, discuss her journey with Maurice Pittman, a TRIO professional and alumnus with over 14 years of experience, and Daniela Cardona, an ISU TRIO early career professional and alumnus. They found themselves working for TRIO Programs and spoke about how their time in TRIO programs has led them to guide the next generation of first-generation students.
