Brief Thoughts on FirstGen Student Issues

I have thought a lot about first generation students and those becoming leaders in various ways. More generally coming from a background where university education is not a norm creates different context factors. Cash and liquidity constraints shape the incentives and experience in a big way, something I have always and maybe sometimes crudely (or so I have been told) put up front when speaking to people about academic careers. I don't experience it as a moral issue primarily even though it is at some level, but it is a fact that some students and early career academics simply won't have those constraints as a dominant part of their experience whereas for others they will be foremost and it is important to understand that. Culture and the hidden curriculum also obviously matters. Personally getting older It has been good to try to fit in less to the cultural expectations of universities and I think they are loosening a bit anyway over time. But again it is obvious that the cultural aspects of universities are just an extension of school and family for some but a distinct and sometimes threatening structural break for others. It is also clearly the case that for given levels of any measurable ability students differ drastically in their earnings anchors and implicit networks. Some use the university itself to create their networks, others have access to family and wider social networks that the university basically complements. There is a lot of good work in the system on widening participation, mentoring, etc., I'm not confident I have anything to add to it but it has been interesting to speak to some others who have come through the university system and into various types of careers. It was also one of the highlights of my job in last few years to work with one of our donors to offer scholarships on our programmes. Have been thinking a lot about the second half of life and work in that space. More to follow.