Apply to be a First2 Campus

View our current First2 campuses here.

First2’s goal is to generate compelling, actionable information on how participating institutions can improve the success of first-generation and other underrepresented STEM college students. By working to better serve our most vulnerable students, we will improve outcomes for all students on participating campuses.

First2 uses improvement science to identify, test, and scale high impact practices organized around four main drivers of change identified by the network. The First2 Network uses a Networked Improvement Community framework to carry out improvement science. Institutional teams apply improvement science approaches from the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and Learning (Plan-Do-Study-Act or PDSA rapid cycles of testing of change ideas) to build evidence for scalable and transferable practices and policies across the state and the nation.

First2 Campuses

Campuses join First2 Network as a way to test, improve, and share change ideas to improve retention of first-gen and underrepresented students in STEM. First2 campus partners are also eligible to receive financial support from the First2 Network. In 2024 we are inviting campuses to create concept papers that will be used to ask for supplemental funding for institutional teams. We welcome concept papers from campuses across West Virginia and in other EPSCoR states. 

Campuses participate in the network through a First2 Institutional team composed of students, faculty, staff and administrators. Participating campuses receive support and engagement for their Institutional Team from the FIrst2 Network backbone. Institutional teams use improvement science to test and scale high impact practices on the campus, as identified by the First2 Network driver diagram and formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with First2.

Student leaders are integrally involved and campuses share learning with each other and additional stakeholders throughout the First2 Network. First2 institutional teams include one or more First2 Student Directors who are funded as undergraduate leaders on campus.  All institutional teams host a club to connect students with support and resources, advised by a STEM faculty member working in collaboration with Student Directors.

Additional change ideas include testing the effectiveness of summer/academic year research programs, faculty/student engagement, student leadership development, and changes in course policies and procedures.

The benefits to your campus include:

• A statewide learning network of innovative thinkers across both large and small campuses around the state and beyond to address pressing problems of recruitment, retention, and graduation rates.
• Professional development opportunities for your faculty, staff, administrators, and students.
• Leadership development and meaningful participation for your student leaders.
• Improvement Science coaching for your institution to develop and scale practices and policies that improve retention.
• State-wide conferences for your institution to present what’s working on your campus and learn from others.
• Representation for your campus on the First2 Steering Committee.
• Partnership with our Industry Advisory Board for solutions informed by employers, including opportunities for your students to interact with industry leaders.
• Active participation in the National Science Foundation INCLUDES national network, where we work together across the country to improve diversity in STEM.
• Fundraising support, network-wide communication, policy initiatives, and collaboration from the First2 Network for network-related initiatives.

Pending funding:

• Participant (student) and non-participant (faculty, staff, other) financial support.
• Funding to support student research, activities, travel, and food.

Conferences

First2 convenes for networking and sharing learning progress twice a year, and our next conference is May 16-18, 2024. Your team will be asked to engage and/or present at the First2 Conference to share about your improvement science activities: changes you are making, problems you have identified, or emerging promising practices or initiatives related to first-gen and underrepresented STEM success.