Florida International University and the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities are proud to present the Focus on First Generation Student Conference. The Focus on First Generation Conference will take place April 8-9, 2019 at Florida International University. This inaugural event will serve as an innovative platform for Academic and Student Affairs professionals to engage and share strategies for building institutional effectiveness, increasing equitable outcomes and supporting career readiness of 1st Generation Students.
Focus on First Generation Conference attendees should expect several educational sessions. The inaugural conference keynote speakers are:
Dr. Sarah E. Whitley serves as senior director of the Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation. Prior to joining NASPA, Sarah earned a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education where her scholarly interests included issues of inequality, academic motivation and decision-making, teaching and learning, the success of first-generation and low-income students, and the university presidency and board governance. Her dissertation examined the academic decision-making of low-income and first-generation college students with interest in humanities disciplines in a post-Recession context. From 2007 – 2013, Sarah served as director of First-Year Experience and Family Programs at Longwood University where she was responsible for orientation and welcome programs, peer mentoring, living-learning communities, first year seminars, transition programs, community partnerships, as well as university liaison to the Downtown Farmville Partnership. She has extensive experience consulting with institutions on transition program development, peer mentoring, senior leader effectiveness, and board governance.
Dr. Adam Peck serves as acting vice president for University Affairs at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, and has been a student affairs practitioner for more than 24 years. He is the author of more than forty scholarly publications and has presented more than 100 national and international webinars. He served as editor and co-author of the book, “Engagement & Employability: Integrating Career Learning.
Visit the Focus of First Generation website for more information on this conference.