Reframing Support: A Social Network Perspective on Whom First-Generation Students Turn to for Help
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| Title: | Reframing Support: A Social Network Perspective on Whom First-Generation Students Turn to for Help |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Melissa Herman, Hoori Santikian Kalamkarian, Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC) |
| Source: | Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. 2026. |
| Availability: | Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 38 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R305A210494 R305B200017 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: | Social Networks, First Generation College Students, Help Seeking, Undergraduate Students, Community College Students, Family Role, Friendship, College Programs, Program Design, Student School Relationship, Social Support Groups |
| Geographic Terms: | California |
| Abstract: | Over half of undergraduate students in the U.S. enter college with neither parent having completed a college degree. These students--often referred to as "first-generation" students--are less likely to persist in college, earn good grades, and complete a degree than students who have at least one parent who went to college. Postsecondary institutions may be better positioned to serve first-generation students if equipped with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of their help-seeking behaviors and preferences. This report uses social network survey results and interviews with students at four colleges in California--two community colleges and two four-year broad-access universities--to explore how first-generation college students build relationships and use support networks on- and off-campus to address the challenges they face in college. The authors describe the role of family, friends, and institutional actors in supporting first-generation students through the first year of their college journey and consider implications of these relationships for the design and delivery of college programs and services. Findings suggest that first-generation students may have more ties to college than is commonly believed--including parents, siblings, cousins, friends, and other family or peer connections--who provide emotional support, broker connections to campus resources, and help in other meaningful ways. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 20260101 |
| Accession Number: | ED682160 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Over half of undergraduate students in the U.S. enter college with neither parent having completed a college degree. These students--often referred to as "first-generation" students--are less likely to persist in college, earn good grades, and complete a degree than students who have at least one parent who went to college. Postsecondary institutions may be better positioned to serve first-generation students if equipped with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of their help-seeking behaviors and preferences. This report uses social network survey results and interviews with students at four colleges in California--two community colleges and two four-year broad-access universities--to explore how first-generation college students build relationships and use support networks on- and off-campus to address the challenges they face in college. The authors describe the role of family, friends, and institutional actors in supporting first-generation students through the first year of their college journey and consider implications of these relationships for the design and delivery of college programs and services. Findings suggest that first-generation students may have more ties to college than is commonly believed--including parents, siblings, cousins, friends, and other family or peer connections--who provide emotional support, broker connections to campus resources, and help in other meaningful ways. |
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