The grant comes from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) First-Generation Student Success Grant initiative.
Fairmont State University has received $16,000 in funding via the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) First-Generation Student Success Grant initiative. The funding will work to expand the first-generation student success initiatives that the university put into place during the last academic year, and it will also implement new initiatives to further strengthen the support first-generation college students receive from the school.
According to an article on Fairmont State University’s website, Marion Holmes, who serves as the Senior Director of First Year Experience and Connections at Fairmont State University, was quoted as saying of the funding, “We are honored to receive this grant and expand the support we provide to our first-generation Falcons. First-generation students make up a significant portion of our student population, and this investment will allow us to strengthen programs, resources, and opportunities that help them succeed. Through our First Gen Falcons initiatives, we connect students with targeted support services, mentorship opportunities, and campus resources that can help them navigate college with confidence and reach their academic and personal goals.”
The university’s First Gen Falcons program, which is run by Holmes, includes support and resources for first-generation students, defined as those students whose parents did not earn a college degree. First Gen Falcons includes the establishment of a first-generation advisory board and panel, an outreach campaign that encourages first-generation students to self identify and participate in the program, and financial aid and campus employment workshops. Additionally, the program helps establish a community of camaraderie between fellow first-generation students through social initiatives like a carnival and activity fair.
The university notes that first-generation students are less than half as likely to earn a bachelor degree within 10 years of high school graduation than are the students whose parents did attend college. In order to bolster those odds, the university is committed to providing first-generation students with support for their success.
Fairmont State University’s Office of Sponsored Programs was instrumental in securing the funding from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
For more information about Fairmont State University, visit the school’s website.