FirstGen Ahead January 2021 JanJJ

Founder’s Message Much has happened since our last FirstGen Ahead newsletter. At the same time, it feels like time has stood still these past eight months. We’ve been working, studying, and adjusting our lives under trying and unusual circumstances. Personally, I’m still recovering from a broken wrist that impacted my ability to use a keyboard, which partially explains the lapse in monthly newsletters. At FirstGen Ahead, highlights over the past eight months include raising funds to support our students over the summer. They were eager to benefit from a meaningful summer experience but most lacked internship opportunities during the pandemic. Fortunately, they were able to use those funds to conduct original research. Another highlight was welcoming and working with new coaches and our second cohort of students. We are grateful for the donors who recognized the value of meaningful, skill-building, and network-expanding opportunities for first-generation college students. Importantly, we thank the Steppingstone Foundation for serving as a fiscal sponsor of the FirstGen Ahead Stipend Fund. Four rising college seniors took advantage of applying for FirstGen Ahead stipends over the summer. I had the pleasure of working with three of them on a qualitative research project (see part one of a two-part article below). One of our goals is to publish our research as an academic article. The fourth student conducted independent research related to the sneaker industry, which was overseen by his FirstGen Ahead coach. We welcomed six college juniors in the second cohort of FirstGen students through a partnership with and recruitment efforts by the Steppingstone Foundation. Five of the students attend college in Massachusetts – Boston College, Boston University, UMass Amherst, and UMass Boston – with one more at Case Western Reserve. Their majors and interests are varied – physics and astronomy, user interface/user experience (UI/UX), sports communication, entrepreneurship, real estate, law and mediation, education policy, and diversity and inclusion. They have spent the fall working with their coaches on targeted activities and, together as a group, on an instrumental networking project (see Nuggets of Advice article below). Much more is in store. This new year brings hope. Susan Gershenfeld, PhD

"Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible." -Hellen Keller

A Decade Out: What Did We Learn From College Students Who Graduated During the Great Recession? The first cohort of FirstGen Ahead students is graduating this spring during an especially challenging time in our country. To better understand what may lie ahead and to build skills and connections in the process, three students spent the summer working with Dr. Susan Gershenfeld on a qualitative research study that offers insights into the experiences of students who graduated from college during the 2009 Great Recession and explores their subsequent career paths over the past decade. Each student researcher asked three general questions in a semi-structured interview. 1) What experiences stand out as you think about graduating from college during the Great Recession? 2) What influenced or affected your career decisions over the past decade? 3) What advice would you give to a rising college senior about graduating during the current economic, racial, and politically polarized climate? Interviews lasted between 20 and 180 minutes. Eighty-one alumni were invited to participate in the study with 41% of alumni participating, including 19 first-generation alums and 18 of whom were people of color.  Five themes emerged from analyzing the 33 interview transcriptions of alumni from Providence College, UMass Boston, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The first two universities are where the student researchers attend and the third is where Dr. Gershenfeld previously worked and received a graduate degree. Three of the five themes are described below with the remaining two themes to be included in the February newsletter. 1. Temporarily Swallowing Your Pride. Most of the underemployed graduates (8 out of 9) were first-generation and People of Color (FG/PoC). None of the first jobs obtained by these nine underemployed alums required a college degree. These alums spoke about searching for jobs; not being able to find employment in their desired field; and working at a part-time job for a period of time to pay bills, pay down student loans, and financially support their family. As one FG/PoC alum said, “I never imagined that after four years of college I would end up being a server which requires no college degree.” This suggests underemployment is a risk -- particularly for first-gen students and people of color who graduate from college during difficult economic times. 2. Networking: Not Just What, But Who. Data from this study suggests differences in networking based on class and race. Alumni from both public and private universities who are FG/PoC were less apt to speak about the value of networking as compared to their White counterparts when transitioning from college to the workforce. For example, many continuing gen, White students (CG/W) expressed how their initial and subsequent employment opportunities happened by utilizing their networks. This difference between class and race with networking, however, lessened once they entered the workforce. For example, one FG/PoC alum said, “It’s not just what you know but who you know, and your network is very important in leveraging access to opportunities and jobs in a way I didn’t understand in 2009.” Data from the study also suggests that personal sentiments toward networking played a role in utilizing networks for assistance. Those who refused to network either had a nonexistent to weak network or their personal pride got in the way of referring back to the network they did have. As one alum said, “Jobs are about networking and who you know. This puts first-generation students at a disadvantage, especially in times of limited economic opportunity.” 3. Hustling Required, Not Optional. More than one-half of the FG/PoC alums at both public and private universities (10 out of 18) specifically mentioned proactive behaviors such as hustle, hard work, grit, and initiative. Specifically, they spoke about the need to hustle, to keep pushing and pushing until they reached their goal, to work hard, and to take initiative. Similar sentiments and actions were not expressed by their CG/W counterparts when asked about their college-to-career trajectories. As one FG/PoC alum said, “I kept hustling… I didn’t have anyone to allow [me] to pursue my passion 110% without having to worry amount money or connections.” Findings from this summer research project led to the FirstGen Ahead fall student Informational Interview Project (see article below).  Credit image - https://www.thebalance.com/2008-financial-crisis-3305679

Nuggets of Advice from the Informational Interview Project By Selina Li, Boston University; Sebastien Cayo, Case Western University; Wanyi Lin, Northeastern University; Victoria Livingston, Boston College; Latchman Ramlocah, UMass Amherst; and Xavian Morales, UMass Boston Unlike continuing-generation college students, first-generation college students are less likely to have sources who know how to navigate the tempestuous environment that is college and post-graduation. Not only are we limited in those connections, but first-generation students are also less likely to network and use connections, if we have them, to access work opportunities. Roughly 70-80% of jobs are acquired through personal networks, so lacking networks and networking skills leaves first-generation students like us at a great disadvantage when it comes to procuring jobs post-graduation.  To put in perspective the importance of networking, as the second cohort of FirstGen Ahead students, we spent the fall semester gaining first-hand knowledge of the importance of networking. Each of us interviewed at least two people in a career we have an interest in pursuing. In addition, we interviewed someone we admire who has great networking skills to learn about how they’ve achieved that skill set through their mindset or approach. Through conducting these informational interviews, we gained knowledge, newfound connections that can foster social ties in support of our professional advancement and goals, and were able to practice and improve our own networking skills. We are grateful for the people - professors, mentors, and industry experts - who agreed to meet with us to complete our informational interviews. We would like to share some nuggets of networking and career advice that resonated with us during the informational interviews.  Networking advice: Be open to meeting people even if they may not be in a field you are interested in. Surround yourself with people who know more than you. Having mentors or people who are more experienced challenges you to grow.  Practice and be patient with yourself. It’s okay to feel awkward or lost when networking, but the more you reach out to people, the more natural it will feel. Networking is a learned skill.  Be yourself. Let the conversation flow organically. Ask clarifying questions that build on the previous questions you asked.  Show that you are paying attention. Say their name at the beginning of the interview. Make eye contact.  Career Advice: Present yourself confidently. First impressions are important. Be open to the opportunities that come your way. You never know where that opportunity could take you. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Push yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Don’t lose sight of what interests you. This applies even if it’s a specific aspect of a job. Be honest. Know your insecurities and find ways to grow from them.  Image credit - https://favpng.com/png_search/informational-interview

FGA’s Virtual Networking Event By Wanyi Lin Last year, students in FirstGen Ahead’s inaugural cohort were lucky enough to have their Networking Reception at the Founder’s home. Due to the ongoing global health crisis, an in-person gathering of our second-year cohort would have been impossible. Instead, we had our networking event over Zoom.   On December 14th, FirstGen Ahead’s virtual networking event included 24 people – college students, coaches, and guests. Our guests had experience in areas of interest to our cohort of students -- science, technology, data analytics, law, real estate, business, health care, sports, and education.   We kicked off the event with brief introductions that included one piece of helpful career advice we could give and or had received. The advice ranged from networking extensively to being open to serendipity to following your path to not knowing what you want to do until you try.   Introductions then led into two sets of intentional breakout rooms with about five people per room and with each group discussion lasting for 15-minutes. Students had the opportunity to speak with coaches and/or guests about their career interests and ask questions.   Near the end, the full group reconvened, and each person shared concluding words to describe how they felt. Some of the words were motivated, confident, impressed, happy, and determined.   Over the course of this hour-long event, we students obtained incredible knowledge on how to advance our careers and how to expand our networks. Our guests’ dedication in sharing their own experience and providing advice on how to move forward in a particular field is incredibly valuable to us. Image credit - https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/diverse-growing-audiences/the-art-of-effective-virtual-networking/

My FirstGen Ahead Journey By Mariane St. Juste, Senior, Williams College I found out about FirstGen Ahead (FGA) the summer of 2019 and was immediately intrigued. That summer was a particularly difficult one for me; my family and I were moving to our new home and I had not secured a job or internship for that summer. I felt a bit lost and unequipped to navigate professional settings.     I joined FGA because I was interested in the opportunity to join this community of students and coaches whose goal was to empower and support students like me who lacked adequate mentorship and support when navigating professional settings and preparing for careers after college.   Although excited about this opportunity, it was difficult for me to engage in FGA programming during the fall of my junior year. I felt overwhelmed with having to balance my academic work, work-study jobs, extracurriculars and tasks that my coach and I had established for me to complete. I found myself putting my professional and career-advancing commitments on the back burner.   That December, I met my coach in person as well as attended the networking event that Susan Gershenfeld hosted in her home. This was a significant turning point for me. These events allowed me to finally understand that I was not alone in this process. I met people who were genuinely interested in supporting me on this journey, and I formed relationships with mentors who I remain in contact with today.   Joining FirstGen Ahead has had a profound impact on me. My two greatest takeaways are:   First, I have gained incredible mentors who have guided me, and I am confident they will continue to support me through completing college and beyond. I’ve been able to understand the importance of mentorship and will continue to seek out mentorship in the communities that I become a part of in the future.   Second, I have become more confident in my ability to navigate professional spaces. With the help of my coach and mentors I met through FGA, I have established an elevator pitch, developed a strong resume and cover letters, scheduled several informational interviews with individuals in the industry that I am interested in, and overall feel well prepared for my career after college.   Although the initial transition into FGA was not necessarily smooth, I am grateful for all of the opportunities and skills that it has given me.

Meet Coach Shanicka! Shanicka Burdine is the Assistant Director for Illinois Promise, a college access and success program at her alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also a first-year coach with FirstGen Ahead. Mentorship and student support have been at the heart of her work; Shanicka aims to inspire and empower all students that she meets, specifically first-gen, low-income students. She sees herself as a resource for the students and uses her voice as a tool to listen and speak up for students. As a first-gen, low-income student herself (like many of us in FirstGen Ahead), Shanicka's grateful for the role that her mentors have played throughout her journey. She believes that some of the qualities that make the best mentors are honesty, actively listening to students, being open to receiving feedback, and being able to see the world through students' eyes and valuing their perspective. In her relationships with students, transparency has been fundamental. She is able to develop meaningful relationships with students by sharing her authentic self. Given the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been particularly difficult for students to apply for internships and other hands-on opportunities for the summer and beyond. Shanicka’s advice for students is to “Keep your mind open to all the options and possibilities.” and “Do not be afraid to ask questions.” She encourages students to see every opportunity as a chance to grow and expand their network and professional portfolio. She urges students to take healthy risks and step out of their comfort zone whether that’s through trying out a new industry or reaching out for help.   Two mottos that Shanicka embraces are “It is not enough to be at the table, it’s about what you’re doing with your seat there.” and “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” With this mindset, Shanicka has not only been able to achieve personal success and fulfillment but also instills these values in every student she encounters.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Sunday, January 24, 7-8pm Monthly Peer Session with guest panelists Cristian Biviano, Manu Edakara, and Martha Wagner. Panel facilitated by Mariane St. Juste. A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the session. Sunday, February 14, 4-5pm Monthly Coach Session facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek. A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the session. Contact Susan Gershenfeld, susan@firstgenahead.org with any questions.

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