Chapter 4: First Generation College Students’ Health and Well-Being, Academic Engagement, and Sense of Self During the Covid-19 Global Pandemic

As the U.S. transitions from a pandemic to an endemic status for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it is important that institutions prepare for the long-term impacts that the pandemic, lockdowns, and long periods of isolation have had on individuals. In higher education, one such group that has been particularly affected by the pandemic is first-generation college students (FGCS). Prior research has found that FGCS face considerably greater obstacles in navigating and persisting in higher education compared with their non-FGCS peers. This study investigated how the pandemic influenced FGCS’ (1) health and well-being and (2) academic engagement and success, and (3) sense of self. We employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to make deeper meaning of the problems that FGCS faced during school closures. We found that the transition to remote learning severely disrupted students’ living arrangements, economic security, and overall well-being. Despite these obstacles, most participants’ sense of self and determination to complete their education remained stable. Because the instruments employed in our study specifically targeted FGCS experiences and data was collected across multiple universities, our work adds new understanding to how the pandemic impacted FGCS.