Here’s how a support group helps first-generation students navigate college in Wichita
.JPG "Students study for finals during a session held by Somos First-Gen at Wichita State University on May 7, 2022.")
When Emily Cruz was a high school senior looking to go to college, she didn’t know where to begin.
As the first of her family to attend college, she wasn’t familiar with how to apply for financial aid or how to find scholarships.
“It was kind of like figuring things out on my own,” Cruz said. “There weren’t many resources available to help me navigate.”
Many Hispanic students who enroll in college are first generation and “may lack the family knowledge about the application process,” Inside Higher Ed reports.
“It wasn’t something that I could have come home and asked my parents for help on,” Cruz said. “Something that did help me was that I had friends who were also first-gen, so we kind of went through the process together.”
But Cruz is changing that at Wichita State University. The Campus High School graduate is now a senior at Wichita State University majoring in social work and psychology.
She has formed a first-gen college student support group named Somos First-Gen, which translates to “we are first generation.” The group aims to help future students who may face similar situations as Cruz.
.jpg "Somos First Gen (courtesy).jpg")
Supporting future first-gen students in Wichita
Cruz started at Wichita State in the fall of 2020 during the pandemic. Planning for Somos First-Gen began in December 2021 and the group had their first meeting in March 2022, she said.
The support group focuses on helping high school juniors and seniors who are considering going to college. Current undergraduate students whose parents did not go to college may also attend.
Of all incoming freshmen in 2022, 47% were first-generation students, according to a WSU news release.
The group has offered several workshops on scholarships, FAFSA and mental health as well as advice from community guest speakers who were also first-generation students.
“I think it’s really important for current students, or students that are considering college to see representation,” Cruz said. “That’s why we bring in a lot of current first-gen students that are about to graduate for students to see that it is possible to go to college.”
Vianey Gonzalez is a co-organizer of the group. A fellow first-gen student, Gonzalez said she and Cruz have known each other since childhood. She recalled navigating through college mostly on her own.
“I was a really timid girl to ask for help,” Gonzalez said. “I really wasn’t the type to ask for help, though if I really needed it, I would figure it out myself.”
Gonzalez did her own research on finding scholarships. She had friends and teachers edit her essays.
“It was a lot of stress and I didn’t know who to go to for advice sometimes,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez persevered and is now a third grade teacher at Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet K-8 school. She said it’s important to have a support group like this in place for future students.
“Having this (group) is good to open up and knowing that there’s other people like you, and that it’s OK to ask for help,” Gonzalez said. “We just want to let people know there is help.”
The group will offer a scholarship essay writing and resume building workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Evergreen Community Center and Library, 2601 N Arkansas Ave.
Meetings, workshops and guest speakers are usually offered bi-weekly, Cruz said. To stay up to date on events, follow the group’s Facebook page.
Wichita State reaching for new designation
As Cruz and Gonzalez work to help other Hispanic first-generation students, Wichita State is also looking at how to help Hispanic students succeed. The university is working to become a Hispanic Serving Institution, or HSI.
An HSI is a college or university where 25% of student enrollment is Hispanic, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
The school was recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as an emerging Hispanic serving institution. Its goal is to increase its student body from 16% Hispanic students to 25% by the end of the decade.
The national organization works with schools “committed to Hispanic higher education in the U.S.,” according to its website.
Wichita State’s student enrollment headcount for 2022 sat at 16,921, according to the Kansas Board of Regents. This would mean roughly 2,700 students identified as Hispanic.
“As more Hispanic students hear about Wichita State ... more students are going to come,” said Terri Hall, vice president for student affairs in a WSU news release. “As the Hispanic population in Kansas and this part of the Midwest continue to grow, it is critical that we have the resources to serve them.”
The HSI designation could bring additional federal funding to expand academic programs and support Hispanic students with scholarships and services, according to a news release.
According to HACU data from 2020-2021, there are 559 Hispanic Serving Institutions in the U.S. Four are in Kansas: Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College, Seward County Community College and Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. To see the full HSI list, click here.
First-gen students can also use existing resources at WSU.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion offers programs in which students “are given the opportunity to learn more about diversity and the resources available to provide a more rewarding college experience,” according to the office’s website.
The programs help students connect with staff/students and promote academic success. A calendar of its programs and events is available online.