🔗 linkedin.com/in/kelseyruiz

Research Focus: First-Generation Student Success • Mentorship • Belonging in Higher Education

“Voices Unheard, Paths Unseen: Mentorship Experiences of First-Generation Students of Color at a Private Majority Institution”

What challenge did your research address?

My research explores the challenges First-Generation Students of Color (FGSOC) experience in developing a sense of belonging within a private institution. While institutions have made progress in increasing access for historically underrepresented students, gaining access to college does not always mean students feel connected, supported, or valued once they arrive. For many first-generation students of color, the college experience extends beyond individual academic and career goals — their aspirations are often connected to their families and communities. One participant, Jennifer, captured this experience by sharing that she felt she was carrying generations of dreams on her back, and that balancing her own happiness with her family’s happiness was something she had to weigh constantly. My research examines how mentorship from faculty and staff can influence FGSOC students’ sense of belonging and support in higher education.

What inspired you to pursue this research?

My research is deeply connected to my own journey through higher education. As a multiracial Puerto Rican woman and first-generation college student from a low-income background, I became more aware of my identity and the differences between my experiences and those of my peers once I entered college. Classmates around me had access to opportunities I hadn’t had — college preparation programs, travel, extracurricular activities, family knowledge about navigating higher education — and that contrast made me curious about how students from underrepresented backgrounds experience college and what helps them feel that they belong. Through my professional work in Residence Life, student development, and teaching, I continued to witness the disparities FGSOC students experience, and becoming the first in my family to earn a college degree, a master’s, and ultimately a doctorate deepened my commitment to creating more equitable pathways for students without the same access to resources or support.

What did your research find, and what is its impact?

Findings indicated that students with meaningful mentoring relationships with faculty or staff who shared similar lived experiences reported stronger feelings of belonging and connection to their campus community — though mentorship didn’t have to be limited to identity-based relationships; FGSOC students also benefited from broader networks of faculty and staff intentional about understanding their experiences. A significant outcome was the recognition of first-generation faculty and staff of color as important contributors of knowledge and expertise in mentoring FGSOC students. Through a second research cycle, participants’ lived and professional experiences informed the collaborative development of a digital resource guide designed to help faculty and staff become more intentional and culturally responsive mentors. The broader impact extends beyond individual mentoring relationships — the research encourages higher education institutions to think more intentionally about belonging, mentorship, representation, and institutional responsibility for First-Generation Students of Color.

“This research brought together my personal experiences and professional commitment to student success.”

Kelsey Ruiz

🔗 Read her full dissertation here