51视频

09/06/2018
By Katharine Webster

It takes a special kind of courage to be the first in your family to pursue a college degree.

It takes even more nerve to attend a college far from home 鈥� like first-year student Jaya Sims of Milwaukee, Wis., who turned down offers from Midwestern universities to pursue a sociology degree at 51视频.

A major factor in her choice? The River Hawk Scholars Academy, or RHSA, which provides extra help and a caring community for first-generation college students.听

鈥淚 wanted the extra support network, especially since it鈥檚 so far from home,鈥� Sims says. 鈥淚 liked the feel of this campus when I visited. Everyone was really nice and made me feel like they wanted me here.鈥�

Sims is among hundreds of first-generation college students in this fall鈥檚 first-year class. All earned their places here through a combination of strong grades, test scores and extracurricular activities. In fact, many had such high GPAs and test scores that they were automatically invited to join the Honors College.

But while they are well-prepared academically, first-generation college students often struggle with financial aid, course selection and time management because they can鈥檛 turn to family members who鈥檝e been through the college experience.

That鈥檚 where the River Hawk Scholars Academy comes in. The RHSA has its own academic advisor, Racheal Shertzer 鈥� and once students have met with her to make sure they鈥檙e on track for all their requirements, they will get priority registration for their spring and fall 2019 courses.听

Academy scholars who complete a summer program can move into their dorms early, including the affiliated Explore Living-Learning Community in Fox Hall. After they move in, they get a special, one-day boot camp to learn about strategies and resources for college success, including the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services (C.L.A.S.S.), the Solution Center and the Wellness Center.听

Some of the students will study together in RHSA sections of College Writing I and II. They can even apply for dedicated RHSA scholarships. And all year long, they will be invited to social events, volunteer opportunities, talks and workshops to help them adjust to the expectations and challenges of a college education.

鈥淔irst-generation college students bring so many wonderful abilities, strengths and perspectives to campus, so we want to make sure that they鈥檙e getting the support they need to navigate campus culture,鈥� says Matthew Hurwitz, RHSA director and an assistant teaching professor in the English Department.

鈥淭he history of this university is intertwined with the history of first-generation students, and we don鈥檛 want to lose sight of that,鈥� Hurwitz says. 鈥淭he River Hawk Scholars Academy is a recognition that this should remain an important and visible part of our institution鈥檚 mission.鈥�

The River Hawk Scholars Academy debuted as a pilot project a year ago under the leadership of Provost Michael Vayda 鈥� a first-generation college graduate himself 鈥� and Vice Provost for Student Success Julie Nash. Any student who wanted extra support was invited to join, and nearly 100 did.

Starting this year, the provost鈥檚 office decided to focus the academy primarily on first-generation students in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Manning School of Business, the Kennedy College of Sciences and the College of Education.听

The academy has also formed special partnerships with the GEAR UP and TRIO programs for low-income and first-generation students at Lowell and Lawrence high schools. All the students in those programs who won admission to UML 鈥� 53 from Lowell and 21 from Lawrence 鈥� were invited to join the academy.

Altogether, 286 students were invited to join the RHSA this year, and about 250 accepted.听

First-generation college students are more likely to come from low-income families and minority groups, Hurwitz says, and they鈥檙e also more likely to feel like they don鈥檛 belong in college. The River Hawk Scholars Academy aims to persuade them that they do.

At RHSA Welcome Day, Nash spoke to the scholars about 鈥渋mpostor syndrome鈥� 鈥� the nagging feeling that you were admitted by mistake, that you鈥檙e not as smart as everyone else and that if you ask questions, everyone will realize you鈥檙e a fraud. It鈥檚 not true, she said.

鈥淚f you say 鈥榊es鈥� to opportunities and you say, 鈥業 belong here,鈥� I guarantee you鈥檙e going to have an awesome year,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd if you learn nothing else, learn how to ask for help.鈥�

Sophomore math major Marie Bernier, a graduate of last year鈥檚 RHSA who is serving as a peer mentor for this year鈥檚 cohort, agrees that asking for help is critical. A first-generation college student, Bernier struggled last year, especially with applying for and getting financial aid.听

She succeeded because she asked questions of everyone she knew: her friend鈥檚 older sister, upperclass friends on the Steppin鈥� in Unity dance team and Shertzer, the RHSA advisor.

鈥淏ecause I鈥檓 first-generation, my parents don鈥檛 understand paying for college or signing up for classes or moving in,鈥� she says. 鈥淩acheal (Shertzer) basically become my best friend. She put me in touch with a financial aid聽counselor, and they helped me out. My mom and I are very much grateful for that, because every second, my mom was asking me, 鈥楬ow are we going to pay for it?鈥欌��

Although she has 鈥済raduated鈥� from the RHSA, which is for first-year students, Bernier says she still feels comfortable asking Shertzer for advice.听

She can also seek ongoing support through the River Hawk Rising Scholars program offered by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, which helps students in all four years develop their goals, stay on track with their majors, find internships and co-ops and prepare for careers or graduate school.