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First2: Welcoming All Students as Leaders
All students who participate in the First2 Network are regarded as student leaders; your voices, opinions, and insights are central to our work and can help change systems and practices that hinder STEM student success.
We provide support to students who are advocating for changes in institutional policies and practices in higher education, involve participants in decision-making alongside key stakeholders (such as college presidents, faculty, legislators, and community leaders), and foster early professional experiences.
Have questions? Let’s chat: first2studentcoordinator@gmail.com.
Student Involvement:
Students who participate in the First2 Network are members of an institutional team on their campus that is composed of students, STEM faculty, and additional members of their campus community. Each institutional team is coached to utilize an improvement science approach to test high-impact practices – “change ideas” – that improve retention of first-generation and other under-represented college students in STEM fields. We elevate students to be the agents of defining, implementing, and testing changes towards improvement within their own experience, between their near peers, and across the institutions that serve them. This shift from being “the served” to being collaborators provides deep insight into systemic barriers that are felt, seen, and experienced by first generation rural students within their systems.
First2 students, as part of the institutional team on their campus, will play a key role in managing and operating a student-run campus club (see below).
Students can also apply for a paid position (see below) in the First2 Network.
Campus Clubs:
Campus clubs focus on connecting students in STEM majors to one another (as well as other students and faculty) to increase students’ sense of belongingness in ways that ultimately support their overall academic success. Club activities encompass a range of opportunities such as fellowship, guest speakers, professional development, resume-building, and networking.
First2 campus club officers are responsible for organizing activities, assessing their impact, keeping a budget and providing feedback to the network.
Presently, clubs are active at:
- Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
- Fairmont State University
- Glenville State University
- Marshall University
- University of Charleston
- West Virginia University
- WVU Institute of Technology
Paid Positions:
First2 offers various student positions, which each come with a financial stipend, to better understand and optimize the impact of our activities on student success.
- SCHOLARS: Core responsibilities of being a First2 Student Scholar include research internships, job shadowing, and serving as a First2 Ambassador. Student Scholars attend club and group meetings, journal about their STEM experiences, and engage in other optional activities such as tutoring, mentoring, outreach, and conferences.
- DIRECTORS: First2 Student Directors play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between First2 Student Scholars and our student leadership team. Responsibilities include mentoring underclassmen, assuming leadership roles within the clubs, facilitating effective communication between students and other institutional team members, generating innovative ideas to address barriers to STEM student success, and promoting awareness both on and off campus about the valuable opportunities that First2 offers.
- DIRECTOR CO-CHAIRS: First2 Student Director Co-Chairs are the official liaisons between the First2 backbone/steering committees, First2 Student Directors, and the statewide student leadership group. They are expected to participate in the monthly steering committee meeting and weekly backbone meetings to foster seamless communication between leadership entities and student groups.
Interested in joining a campus club or learning more about the process to apply for a paid student position? Contact us at first2studentcoordinator@gmail.com or using the form below!
Contact Us
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