First to fly
Sophomore Rebecca Gonzalez followed a trajectory increasingly familiar to Latinos by being the first in her family to attend college.
“I don’t know what my life would be like if my parents had not left Mexico for the U.S.,” said the Dayton resident and student in the Kessler Scholars program, which began in 2023 and supports first-generation students. “I might have gone to college, but it would have been a very different
experience.”
According to Excelencia in Education, which advocates for Latino student success in higher education, Latinos are more likely to be the first in their family to attend college than any other racial group.
“My dad always tells me I’m the one who’s able to make the change by putting in the effort,” Gonzalez said. “I wasn’t even sure how to get started with college, but I took the opportunity, and it’s been a domino effect.”
UD is working to increase affordability for first-gen and other students whose families don’t have the means for their children to attend private universities through programs including Flyer Promise Scholars, launched in 2017. Of the more than 250 students who have participated from 14 partner schools around the country, 75% were from underserved groups and 60% were first-generation, those without a family member of a previous generation who has completed a four-year degree.
Lee Dixon, associate provost for academic affairs and learning initiatives, said part of the target audience for these new programs are students who are eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant, which has grown to 22% of UD’s current first-year students. In 2023, UD earned a “high-flier” designation from the American Talent Initiative for its leadership and progress in expanding access and opportunity for talented, low- and moderate-income students.
Since fall 2012, the percentage of first-year students at UD who identify as first-generation has been between 6% and 10%.
“We’re working to make sure we’re serving first-generation students well,” said Dixon, himself a first-gen student who likens his college transition to culture shock. “We hope that translates to more [students] seeing us as a supportive institution for them.”
In the U.S. population, fewer people are graduating from high school, and those who do represent a diversity of demographics, including racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, age and sexual orientation.
“If you’re not finding new ways of recruiting and new groups of students that your education fits well for, you’re going to stay stagnant at best,” said Dixon, adding that one of the strongest predictors of college student outcomes is whether their parents went to college.
“As we’re able to help first-generation students succeed, we’re doing our part to increase the likelihood their children will attend a university.”
“We’re in this because we do believe education, and especially the education we deliver at UD, makes for better lives, not just for our students but for their communities and for their children.”
Many first-generation students face unknowns like how to fill out the federal student aid application, apply for scholarships and fully participate in college life. Some balance academic, work and family
responsibilities.
Shyra Thomas ’07 is senior associate director of development, diversity and access initiatives and co-chair of UD’s first-generation student success team. A first-gen student herself, she can relate to their needs, desires and experiences. For example, Thomas worked as a resident assistant, basketball team tutor and food services employee to support her college journey.
Without a parent with college experience to guide their transition to college, first-gen students need to play catch-up to reach a level playing field, said Ulises Gonzalez ’26, a Flyer Promise scholar from Chicago.
“It’s tricky,” he said. “When my parents call to ask how I’m doing, I’ll say, ‘These classes are so hard,’ and they’ll say, ‘You got this.’ But they truly don’t know what I’m going through.”
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It’s a dim day on campus, rain chattering against the windows, as the remnants of Hurricane Helene surge through Dayton and the first cohort of Kessler Scholars meets in Roesch Library’s Ryan C. Harris Learning Teaching Center. They lunch on an indoor picnic of hamburgers, baked beans and potato salad while learning about their Myers-Briggs assessment results — and how they can use them to improve their study skills and college experience.
It’s one of two seminars Kessler Scholars attend each semester, in addition to meetings with peer mentors, advisers and a success professional. The students, who attend Sinclair Community College their first two years before transitioning to UD, also participate in community service each semester and attend a five-day summer bridge program the summer before their first year.
All these meetings help the first-generation scholars navigate what assistant professor Graham Hunter called the “hidden curriculum” — the background knowledge about how to navigate college life.
“The hidden curriculum also comes into play with student involvement,” said Hunter, coordinator of the higher education and student affairs master’s program. “Often, first-generation students come in with a very academic mindset. They don’t know how to really engage in that out-of-classroom experience — to understand college is more than just the classes you’re taking.”
First-gen students also represent a hidden identity that isn’t always apparent, which requires institutions to intentionally reach out and understand how to better serve this student population. Connecting them to first-gen faculty and staff is a “superpower” when it comes to supporting first-gen student success, Hunter said. In a fall 2023 survey, 35% of UD faculty and 39% of staff identified themselves as such.
“This is an easy but powerful way to make first-gen students feel valued and create opportunities for them to talk about their experiences.”
“Faculty and staff can play a huge role in demystifying campus life, who can be models and say, ‘I know what it’s like to have this weird experience we call higher education.’”
Valerie Blackwell-Truitt, director of the Kessler Scholars program for the University of Dayton Sinclair Academy, is one of those models. She describes today’s first-gens as resilient, resourceful, innovative, creative, hopeful, driven and high-achieving.
“These are valuable assets for any job,” Blackwell-Truitt said. “You can teach a person, but you can’t necessarily teach the dedication and resilience these students have.”
Thomas agreed, saying that UD’s mission calls for the institution to support all its students in their journeys of growth: “By serving and valuing these smart, talented, trailblazing first-gen students, we are living out the Marianist philosophy to educate the whole person with respect and openness.”
Kristen Wicker ’98 was a nontraditional UD student but doesn’t remember herself being as impressive as the first-generation students she met while working on this story.
HELPING HANDS
At 13, Rihanna “Lucy” Domingos ’24 was a recent immigrant from Luanda, Angola. She spoke only Portuguese and attended a school without an English as a Second Language program. A Puerto Rican staff member sometimes translated the lessons into Spanish, a similar language. Still, Domingos only understood about half of the schoolwork. She learned on her own, practicing with her English-speaking cousins.
The same was true when it came to college, said the oldest of her single mother’s three children. Domingos’ mom had more pressing worries, such as how to provide for the family.
Yet at age 21, Domingos stood on stage at UD Arena and spoke at UD’s commencement when she received her biology degree. She donned new honor cords acknowledging first-generation students as she reflected on the experiences of a class of graduates who were sent home to study shortly into their second semester due to the pandemic.
Afterward, Domingos was touched by the number of people who approached her to express how her words had impacted them.
“I thought, ‘None of this would have been possible if I didn’t go through these four years,’” she said. “I can’t take all the credit, but it was a moment when I was glad I went through it.”
Several people whom Domingos met opened doors that helped her succeed.
One was Shyra Thomas ’07, who formerly recruited underrepresented and first-generation college students for UD’s admission office. Thomas visited Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, Kentucky, during Domingos’ senior year of high school. The two instantly bonded over their shared experiences and kept in touch while Domingos was at UD.
Domingos also credits her success to God — a relationship developed at UD, even though she wasn’t looking for religion by attending a Catholic university. She particularly enjoyed spending time with God in prayer while playing piano in the Marianist Hall chapel.
“One of the greatest things I experienced in college was a breakthrough in my faith life,” she said. “Finding God was a pivotal point. I was able to succeed in academics and find peace in life.”
Now, Domingos is applying to graduate school to study microbiology and immunology. She hopes to work in a clinical laboratory and study how diseases interact with the human body.
“There were times I said to myself, ‘There are too many barriers.’ I wanted to give up,” she said. “My younger brothers saw me persevere, and I hope younger generations will pursue their college dreams no matter what barriers they’re facing.”
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Sam Lowe’s dad didn’t graduate from high school, but he’s been one of her most ardent supporters throughout her college journey.
“My dad always says higher education is super important,” said Lowe ’23, now a graduate student in UD’s human services program. Her dad would provide a respite when it was needed most. On tough days, he’d meet her on campus and the pair would sit outside, enjoying the weather and sharing a pizza from Toss.
Lowe shared her story in Roesch Library’s Learning Teaching Center before a seminar for students in the Kessler Scholars program. It supports first-generation students like her, and Lowe is now a graduate assistant for the program.
She came to UD in the third cohort of UD’s Flyer Promise Scholars program, designed for promising students who otherwise may not attend college. While the program’s scholarship was the biggest bonus at first, Lowe found the academic and career assistance invaluable.
Jackson Goodnight, psychology department chair, met with her often to offer encouragement. When Lowe was applying to graduate school, he wrote a letter of recommendation. It was his confidence that helped Lowe overcome imposter syndrome when she didn’t feel qualified.
“That support is so important for a first-gen student,” said Lowe. “He constantly said, ‘You can do whatever you want to,’ even when grad school sounded so intimidating.”
The summer bridge program, which prepares first-year students for the academic year ahead, also helped Lowe adjust to campus life.
“I was super scared at the thought of college, but this helped me feel comfortable because I knew folks before the school year started,” she said.
Still, Lowe was intimidated when the campus population exploded to several thousand students. When feeling overwhelmed that first semester, Lowe and her summer bridge friends would meet on campus to cheer each other on.
The pandemic’s stay-at-home mandate affected some of her undergraduate years, but Lowe pushed herself out of her comfort zone to become involved on campus. By her senior year, she was president of the campus chapter of 4 Paws for Ability service club and founded the still-active “puppy petting fundraiser.” A small donation earns students stress relief with a furry friend.
Shortly before graduation, Lowe and fellow Flyer Promise students attended a celebration at Curran Place.
“I saw the people who I started off with when I didn’t know [if] I could make it,” she said. “It’s a cool feeling to have a degree. I can’t wait to hang [my next one] on my wall.”
From follower to leader
Ulises Gonzalez was freezing on the January day he first visited campus, BUT he knew he’d attend UD.
Gonzalez came to UD as a Flyer Promise Scholar and graduate of a UD partner high school, Cristo Rey Jesuit, in his native Chicago. Now 20, he’s a junior majoring in mechanical engineering technology with a minor in automotive systems.
Sitting in UD’s Women’s Center, he chatted about how he always knew college was in his future, in part because his older siblings were college students during much of his youth. Still, Gonzalez paused as he shared some challenges he had with the transition, especially adjusting to the culture and environment of UD.
“Freshman year, it took a while to find my people,” said Gonzalez, whose family is of Mexican descent. “I’m a kid from the south side of Chicago, and all around me was white skin.”
Yet find his people he did — which is even more important for first-generation students, who need to develop a sense of belonging. Belonging is linked to matriculation, academic success and happiness.
He spent much of his time that first year hanging out in the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center and on the porch of the house for the student organization El Orgullo Latino. He’s worked as an academic success ambassador at MEC and served on EOL’s executive board.
“I met people who come from the same background and are relatable,” he said.
An annual cookout during Family Weekend at the EOL house on Stonemill is just one example. Students and their parents ate carne asada and drank horchata, played dominoes, and danced to music by Vicente Fernández and Bad Bunny.
Gonzalez also found his people by serving as a student leader for UD’s Multi-Ethnic STEM summer bridge program and incoming cohorts of students from Flyer Promise, which helps high-achieving students afford a UD education. Summer bridge programs prep incoming students for the academic year ahead.
Gonzalez emphasized how being involved on campus has been extremely fulfilling.
“The greatest reward is being able to go to class every day and chase this education,” he added. “This really was a leap of faith, and now I’m thriving.”
Gonzalez will be the first engineer in his family, and he envisions himself making an impact on the world thanks to his UD education.
“But it’s a lot bigger than me,” he added. “It’s really on my shoulders to be a stepping stone in the right direction for future generations to bring my culture and my family forward.”
Fast company
Dylan Fletcher remembers the one time when he didn’t want a college degree: He was a little kid, sitting in the backseat of the family car at a gas station. He turned to his mom and told her he didn’t want to go to college after all.
“She looked at me and said, ‘If you don’t go to college, you won’t get your dream car,’” Fletcher said. He’d pinpointed that car when he was even younger and told his mom he would get that Stingray Corvette C6 convertible.
“My parents always drilled into me, ‘Go to college,’” he said. “They went to Sinclair after they had my sister and me but weren’t able to finish. They always wanted us to get our degrees before we had kids.”
Fletcher, 19, is a sophomore business major in the Kessler Scholars program. Sitting in a coffee shop near campus, he talks about the heavy-hitting classes he’s taking at Sinclair Community College — such as calculus, microeconomics and statistics — before transitioning to UD in fall 2025 with his fellow first cohort. He admits attending college while working full time at his dad’s company, Fletcher Construction, is a big challenge.
Yet he’s excited about the big payoff.
“The classes are tough, but I’m very focused,” said Fletcher, who’s passed the state exam toward earning his real estate license.
Fletcher knows college is the only way to fulfill his professional dreams, and UD’s program is the best way for him to succeed. He plans to use a business degree and real estate credentials to expand Fletcher Construction by buying houses the company will renovate and sell. It’s been an interest of Fletcher’s since age 12, when he helped his dad renovate a house badly damaged by a fire.
Fletcher graduated from the Dayton Early College Academy, a high school founded in 2004 on UD’s campus and now offering all grades. His DECA counselor told him about the Kessler Scholars program.
He’s grateful for the extra support Kessler Scholars receive, like the seminars on real-world topics such as responsible use of credit cards and study skills. In mid-September, he met his peer mentor, a Flyer Promise Scholar who’s now a senior planning to attend med school. The two connected over the need to stay on task and knock out class work, and his mentor offered helpful tips about how to stay prepared and keep a positive mindset.
“My goals are the same: expand the business using what I learned in college,” Fletcher said. “One of my biggest goals,” he added, “is still to get that car.”
Paying it backward
Rebecca Gonzalez was a high school senior in Centerville, an affluent Dayton suburb, when she overheard classmates talking about their five-year plans for college success. As she listened, Gonzalez realized she didn’t know where to start — how to look for colleges or apply for scholarships.
“A lot of students have someone in their life who’s gone to college,” she said. “That familial social support is something first-gen students don’t have. My parents didn’t have the opportunity to access a higher education [in Mexico], so they didn’t have the tools to really prepare me for college.”
Yet throughout her life, Gonzalez’s parents set the expectation that she’d go to college. Sitting at The Blend coffee shop in the basement of Roesch Library, she talked about her parents’ challenges after they came to the United States from Guanajuato, Mexico — primarily so their kids would have better opportunities.
“I have to make my parents proud and repay them,” she said.
Gonzalez is working hard to do just that: Shortly after her high school graduation, Kessler Scholars Director Valerie Blackwell-Truitt emailed Gonzalez about the new program specifically for first-generation students. Now, she’s a sophomore in the program double majoring in psychology and Spanish, taking classes at Sinclair Community College. The program’s support is easing the transition from high school to college.
The family recently moved into their first house, where Gonzalez lives with her parents and younger sister. She’s excited to transition to UD in fall 2025 as part of the first cohort of Kessler Scholars — and really hopes to stay on campus.
“I’m looking forward to more independence, and I want to see what college life is,” she said, adding that includes learning how to study at UD. “Will it be more tense than expected? Will the academic level be a lot tougher?”
Gonzalez is open about why she was drawn to study psychology.
“I’ve gone through trials and tribulations with my mental health,” she said. “I want to help others and am looking forward to making a big impact.”
She’s also looking forward to more college experiences like the field trip to the Dayton Art Institute she took with her Sinclair art class.
“We were all frolicking around like small children at the zoo,” she said. “I remember that being a special moment and thinking, ‘If I hadn’t gone to college, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity and met these people.’ I was really grateful to be there.”