When Pima Community College in Arizona rolled out its first “Fast Track” programs in October 2021, allowing students to earn a stackable micro-credential that would lead to a high-paying job in as little as 12 weeks, Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development and Innovation Ian Roark wasn’t surprised that the programs generated a lot of interest from the community. 

First-generation students often find it hard to navigate college life. Many face economic challenges, juggle jobs to support their families, and encounter social challenges. To help them, some colleges are going beyond academic support. They’re re-evaluating physical spaces on campus to figure out how to create an environment of belonging.

After struggling as an undergraduate at University of California, Irvine, Andrea Mora is now the school's director of basic needs and tasked with supervising various services that the university provides to students whose backgrounds and life stories are much like her own: students from low-income or immigrant backgrounds; first in their families to attend college; Black, Hispanic or Indigenous, or BIPOC.

In Missouri, St. Louis County jail detainees can now take college credit courses through St. Louis Community College. Inmates who have a high school diploma can take up to two classes a semester and earn three credits for each eight-week session. 

The Student Parent Success Program at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, provides students an opportunity to connect with their parenting peers and receive individualized support from program staff when needed.

Kansas Wesleyan’s Student Success Coaching pairs first-year students with a staff coach, giving them tools for success for their academic careers.