When Armani Jones-Elliott came to UNC Pembroke as a freshman three years ago, she felt alone and overwhelmed with insecurity.

Though academically gifted, Jones-Elliott doubted her abilities, which is common among first-generation college students.

“As a freshman, you are scared,” she said. “But as a first-generation student, it’s on another level because you don’t have anyone with (college) experience who can advise you.”

At UNCP, Jones-Elliott found a home and a strong peer support system at an institution devoted to helping students navigate the challenges of a new academic environment.

According to Carolina Demography, nearly 1.2 million North Carolina children would be first-generation college students. The figure represents about half of all children statewide. To address the growing trend, UNCP––where 27% of students identify as first-gen––offers individualized assistance through outreach programs like TRIO and GenONe, which creates environments that improve the experiences and outcomes of first-gen students and, ultimately, prepare them for success.

In celebration of National First-Generation College Celebration, UNCP is hosting a First-Gen Grab N’ Learn Breakfast followed by a Celebrate Being First-Gen tabling event in the Chavis Student Center mall on Wednesday, November 8.

Students can connect with other first-gen students and gain valuable information about peer mentor programs like S.O.A.R. (Students Obtain Academic Resilience) and H.A.W.K. (Honing Academic With Knowledge). These programs help students, like Jones-Elliott, overcome class, social and cultural barriers to higher education.

“UNCP does a great job supporting first-generation students through programming, trips and mentoring,” Jones-Elliott said. “I love that this university takes the initiative to provide opportunities for first-generation students and support us through financial hardships by offering scholarships solely for first-gen students. It makes us feel like we have a community on campus just for us.”

Last year, UNCP was recognized nationally for its commitment to first-gen student success when the Center for First-Generation Student Success selected it for the 2022-2023 First-Gen Forward cohort.

Students benefit not only from programming but the shared experiences of professors like Keara Ndhlovu, who overcame challenges as a first-gen student while a student at UNCP. She now teaches in the social work department. 

“When I came to UNCP, I was miserable,” Dr. Ndhlovu said. “My life consisted of going to class and returning to my room.”

Ndhlovu credits her resident advisor for encouraging her to attend an end-of-semester trip to Oak Island, N.C., that brought her out of her comfort zone. After the trip, her family practically had to beg her to visit on the weekends.

“Today, I encourage my students to become involved on campus––build meaningful connections with other students and faculty. If I had stuck with sitting in Belk (Hall) in college, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. It took me branching out and building that community and networking––that laid the foundation of who I am today. It made me want to come back and teach and make an impact in the same way this university impacted me.”