About this journal

The Journal of First-generation Student Success seeks to publish practice articles that are grounded in research and literature and, reciprocally, research articles that speak to practice. The editors seek to review manuscripts and publish articles that are innovative, imaginative, and forward thinking regarding the experiences and outcomes of first-generation college students and the approaches institutions of higher education are employing to serve, matriculate, and complete this population. Through the deep intersectionality of the first-generation identity, the large presence of first-generation students at institutions, and the necessary engagement of both the academic and student services areas for success, this journal offers many opportunities for cross disciplinary collaboration.

While traditional scholarship will be encouraged and accepted, articles that prioritize innovative solutions and advanced thought that disputes deficit-based conversations and propel an asset-based, evidence-driven national narrative, are welcome. Especially encouraged are manuscripts that blend conventional and unconventional scholarly approaches that challenge the traditional paradigm of research methods, analyses, and presentation of data. The journal will consider scholarship that disrupts the traditional first-generation success dialogue, prioritizes the removal of systemic higher education and institutional barriers to success, and encourages topics that encourage cross-community and cross-institutional collaborations for sustained change.

Audience

The NASPA membership represents a broad constituency of entry-level, intermediate-level, and senior-level professionals who are practitioners, scholars, policy makers, faculty, and executive leaders, among others. These educators have responsibility for a wide variety of institutional responsibilities. JFGSS seeks to publish articles that speak to student affairs educators across this broad range of levels and experiences. While the Co-Editors recognize that published articles must be relevant and useful to practitioners, JFGSS also serves faculty, researchers, scholars, and academic leaders. Not all articles will speak to all constituencies all the time. But the Co-Editors are committed to publishing an array of articles that, at some point, will speak to all educators who work in both the academic and student affairs areas of higher education.

Questions about the submission and review process can be directed to the Editorial Assistant.

Co-Editors: Rashné Jehangir, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and Kem Saichaie, Ph.D., University of California, Davis

Associate Editors: Radomir Ray Mitic, Ph.D., University of North Dakota, and Jason K. Wallace, Ph.D., Mississippi State University

Editorial Assistant: Michelle Rossi, University of California, Davis

2022–2025 Editorial Board Members:

• Genia Bettencourt, Ph.D., University of Memphis
• Roshaunda Breeden, Ph.D., Eastern Carolina University
• Brett Bruner, Ed.D., Wichita State University
• Matthew Cooney, Ph.D., Governors State University
• Renee Gilberti Trueman, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
• Rocio Hernandez, Ed.D., Ventura College
• Quortne Hutchings, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University
• Jonathan Lewis, Ph.D., UAspire
• Gregory King, Ph.D., MindPrint Learning, Inc.
• Radomir Mitic, Ph.D., University of North Dakota
• Delma Ramos, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Geneva Sarcedo, Ph.D., University of Colorado Denver
• Krista Soria, Ph.D., University of Idaho
• Susan Taffee Reed, Ph.D., Dartmouth College
• Charmaine Troy, Ph.D., Georgia Tech University
• Terry Vaughn, III, Ph.D., Pell Institute/Council for Opportunity in Education
• Victoria Vetro, Ed.D., Montgomery County Community College
• Jason Wallace, Ph.D., Mississippi State University
• Mary Wallace, Ph.D., University of Alabama Birmingham
• Brittany Williams, Ph.D., University of Vermont

2023–2026 Editorial Board Members:

• Zayd Abukar, Ed.D., The Ohio State University
• Sonja Ardoin, Ph.D., Clemson University
• Trista Beard, Ed.D., University of Southern California
• Jennifer Beck, Ph.D., Wartburg College
• Lamesha C. Brown, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
• Amy Collins-Warfield, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Rochester
• Yasmine Dominguez-Whitehead, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
• Martha Encisco, Ed.D., California State University Fullerton
• Oscar Felix, Ph.D., Colorado State University
• Amy Goodburn, Ph.D., University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Jeffrey Grim, Ph.D., George Mason University
• Africa Hands, Ph.D., University at Buffalo
• Jillian Ives, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
• Georgianna Martin, Ph.D., University of Georgia
• T. Mark Montoya, Ph.D., Northern Arizona University
• Avery Olson, Ph.D., California State University Long Beach
• Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron, Ph.D., George Mason University
• Reena Patel-Viswanath, Ph.D., MAE, University of North Georgia
• Nicole Pulliam, Ph.D., Monmouth University
• Christian Steinmetz, Ph.D., University of Virginia
• Reena Viswanath, Ph.D., Augusta University
• Laura Wagner, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, University of California, San Francisco
• Anthony Walker, Ed.D., Tarrant County College District

2024–2027 Editorial Board Members:

• Candice E. Brooks, Ed.D., University of California, Davis
• Florencia Cornet, Ph.D., University of South Carolina
• Lisa Cullington, Ph.D., National University
• Carolina E. Gonzalez, Ph.D., Bank Street College of Education
• Cassandra Harper, Ph.D., University of Missouri
• George Pacheco, Jr., Ph.D., West Texas A&M University
• Pietro Antonio Sasso, Ph.D., Delaware State University
• Blake R. Silver, Ph.D., George Mason University
• Matthew Joseph Smith, Ph.D., Valdosta State University
• Jennifer Trost, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Chevalla Wilson, Ph.D., Ivy Tech Community College

NASPA members click here to log in for access to journal content.

NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. We serve a full range of professionals who provide programs, experiences, and services that cultivate student learning and success in concert with the mission of our colleges and universities. Established in 1918 and founded in 1919, NASPA is comprised of 13,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. Territories.

Through high-quality professional development, strong policy advocacy, and substantive research to inform practice, NASPA meets the diverse needs and invests in realizing the potential of all its members under the guiding principles of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and inquiry. NASPA members serve a variety of functions and roles, including the vice president and dean for student life, as well as professionals working within housing and residence life, student unions, student activities, counseling, career development, orientation, enrollment management, racial and ethnic minority support services, and retention and assessment.

For more information about NASPA and full membership details, please visit http://www.naspa.org.

The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation, serves as the premiere source of evidence-based practices, professional development, and knowledge creation for the higher education community and to drive innovation and advocacy for the success of first-generation students. The Center serves four strategic priority areas that include recognizing the outstanding contributions of institutional efforts in advancing first-generation outcomes, convening thought leaders, providing professional development opportunities, hosting online repositories for scholarly literature, and offering signature programmatic models for scaling institutional efforts.

As college and university leaders and practitioners are actively seeking avenues to best meet the specific needs of first-generation students, the Center for First-generation Student Success emerges as a leader for scholarly discussion, information sharing, networking, and program development. Through provision of services and guidance across institutional types, the Center aims to acknowledge the intersectional experiences of first-generation college students.

For more information about the Center, please visit firstgen.naspa.org.