About two years ago, the retention rates for first-generation college students at USU was 8% lower than the university average. Through Aggie First Scholars (AFS), the retention rate has been increasing. The program’s purpose is to help first-generation students foster belonging, give access to resources, and create strong communities. Last year, there were 22 mentees and 10 mentors. This year there are 336 mentees and 82 volunteer mentors.

“Research has shown us that many first-year students have a misconception of what college is about,” said Heidi Kesler, director of student retention and completion. “Students who simply view college as ‘job training’ are setting themselves up for failure and discontent. This misalignment is amplified for first-generation students.”

Beginning their freshman year, first-generation students are partnered with a peer mentor who meets with them regularly, providing advice, support, and friendship. They take the university’s connections course, compete a self-assessment to discover their misconceptions of higher education, and are recommended courses by their advisors based on their self-discovery.

When students learn what USU’s mission is and connect with their learning community, they are much more likely to succeed. “This is the goal of AFS,” said Kesler. “We also help them understand that they should be proud of being educational pioneers. They learn to connect with their new community with their home community rather than feeling they have to choose between the two.”

To accommodate the quick growth of AFS, there are now five AFS supervisors who divide the 82 mentors into five districts. Also, many of the 82 mentors, and all of the AFS supervisors, are first-generation students themselves and have gone through this program.

One of the students in AFS said, “After completing a semester at Utah State, I have realized there are many ways to evaluate success other than grades. As someone who really struggled with being away from my home and family, I find it a success that I can now be at Utah State and feel happy and comfortable rather than lonely and somewhat afraid. Because college is so different than high school, I think that I can call adapting to the change another success.”

Through all of this, USU is hoping more first-year generation students will gain the skills they need and have access to important resources, resulting in more earning college degrees.