PNW First-Gen Pride Microgrant awardees announced!
The Center for Faculty Excellence, in partnership with Educational Opportunity Programs and the division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, is beyond excited to announce the recipients of our inaugural round of First-Gen Pride microgrants!
Offered as part of PNW’s initiative to address the needs of first-generation students, these grants support faculty and staff in developing differentiated curricular and co-curricular content and activities for first-gen students. The selection committee was enormously impressed by the enthusiasm and innovation displayed in the proposals we received.
Over $15,000 was awarded to faculty and staff in this first round of grants. This program has started many important conversations that will continue to shape instruction and programming at PNW. Congratulations to the recipients!
2023 Recipients
The ACUE-inspired 1st gen project: the reciprocal interview reinvented and other inspired teaching techniques for success in first-year experience and beyond
Matthew Bauman, Ezra Mutai and John Durocher
This project will leverage approaches from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) in conjunction with reciprocal interviews for first-generation students in first-year experience courses. This would help PNW to gain clear data on how to remove barriers for first-generation students and to improve FYE experiences across multiple colleges.
Matthew Bauman, Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Ezra Mutai, Assistant Professor of Food and Nutrition
John Durocher, Nils K. Nelson Associate Professor of Integrative Human Health
Pathways to Success: First-Generation College Students’ Outcomes in a Regional University
Many of us at PNW are aware that that first-generation college students exist, but few actually know the specifics of their experiences. Using a survey, the goal of this project is to bridge that gap and examine in detail what life is like for first-generation students in our university.
Hubert Izienicki, Associate Professor of Sociology
Fostering Belongingness Among First-Generation College Students in a First-Year Experience Course
This project is a targeted intervention to increase first-generation college students’ sense of belonging in a first-year experience course and help them persist in their academic studies.
Patrick Keegan, Assistant Professor of Education
Empowering Dreamers: Supporting First-Generation College Students’ Successful Entry into Teacher Education
Building relationships, providing support, and recognizing first-generation students interested in becoming teachers is the central focus for this proposal. More specifically, this micro-grant funding will support an introductory success workshop, a mid-semester check-in lunch, and reception in December to celebrate the successful entry into a teacher education program.
David Pratt, Associate Professor of Education
Debra Hollingsworth Pratt, Continuing Lecturer of Education
Inclusive Syllabus Review: Language to Support First Generation Students
Vanessa Quinn and Afshin Zahraee
The syllabus is the first point of contact a student makes with instructors and courses. The language used provides additional support to navigate unfamiliar jargon, policies, and procedures in higher education. We will score STEM syllabi to provide examples of strategies to improve the inclusive tone of the syllabus.
Vanessa Quinn, Associate Dean; Professor of Biology
Afshin Zahraee, Assistant Professor, Construction Engineering & Management Technology
Construction Engineering and Management Technology First-Generation Industry Immersion and Support Program (CEMT-FGIISP)
Afshin Zahraee, Cheng Zhang and Don Duncan
The CEMT First-Generation Industry Immersion and Support Program aims to holistically support first-generation college students in the Construction Engineering and Management Technology (CEMT) program by providing an integrated experience that combines industry exposure through networking events and hands-on learning opportunities including industry field trips.
Afshin Zahraee, Assistant Professor, Construction Engineering & Management Technology
Cheng Zhang, Assistant Professor, Construction Engineering and Management Technology
Donald Duncan, Lecturer, Construction Engineering and Management Technology