First and Flourishing?: An Exploration of How First-Generation College Students Make Meaning of Their Well-Being Through Purpose, Relationships, and Multiple Identities

ABSTRACT

The complexities of the first-generation college student journey may change how these students experience well-being — both what contributes to and detracts from it. As such, this study was conducted to deepen understanding of first-generation college students’ lived experiences in relation to their well-being. This work shares findings from an interpretive, constructivist qualitative study grounded in interviews with 11 undergraduate, first-generation college students at a large, public, four-year institution in the Mid-Atlantic. Findings underscore connections between students’ well-being and their goals, their on/off campus relationships, and their multiple identities. Implications for supporting first-generation college students’ well-being are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• First-generation college student
• first-generation
• wellness
• well-being
• student affairs

Acknowledgements

A humble thank you to participants for sharing their stories. My gratitude also to the Bringing Theory to Practice project and George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being for generous support. Thank you to the dedicated students and colleagues on the larger research team.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Bringing Theory to Practice Category II Research Grant (https://www.bttop.org/) [222811].