INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University (WVSU) has been awarded a $25,000 First-Generation Student Success Grant, a competitive initiative designed to strengthen the university’s ability to serve first-generation college students, improve student outcomes, and expand support services that promote their success.
More than half of WVSU’s undergraduate students identify as first-generation, meaning neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The grant will enhance the university’s capacity to support these students as they pursue academic excellence and future career goals.
Funded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the First-Generation Student Success Grant provides resources to help WVSU develop sustainable strategies that advance enrollment, retention and graduation rates among first-generation students.
The initiative will be administered through the Office of Academic Affairs and the TRIO Student Support Services Department as part of a university-wide collaboration that includes the Offices of Retention and Student Success, Counseling and Wellness, Career Services, Financial Aid, Disability and Accessibility, and Student Affairs.
Planned activities include:
- Development of the First-Gen Network, a campus coalition of faculty, staff, alumni, and students who identify as or support first-generation students.
- Implementation of targeted workshops, peer mentoring, and family engagement activities that promote student success.
- Research and assessment efforts to identify barriers and guide evidence-based practices that strengthen first-generation student outcomes.
The initiative supports the university’s mission to expand educational opportunity and promote student success across all populations.
Additional information about upcoming events and resources for first-generation students will soon be available at wvstateu.edu/first-gen.
For more information contact, Krystal Tolliver, Director, TRIO Student Support Services, at ktolliver@wvstateu.edu or (304) 766-3086.
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