Building Community and Confidence in First-Gen College Students

Imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence in navigating college can happen to anybody, but it can especially be a problem for students who are the first in their families to attend college. These feelings can lead to poor academic performance and a lack of engagement with the campus community, making the path to graduation more challenging.  Our guest is Julie Carballo, Assistant Dean of Students for First-Generation and Military-Affiliated Initiatives at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, which has nearly 40% first-generation students. We'll talk about how their Cardinal First program provides essential support from enrollment through graduation, how the campus community values and supports first-generation students, and tips on what other institutions can learn from the Cardinal First program. To stay up-to-date, follow them on Instagram @firstgencardinals.Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the people behind them in higher education. To learn more about NACU and our programs, visit nacu.edu.Connect with us on LinkedIn: NACUIf you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share it with your network.