PNW Announces Recipients for the 2024 First-Generation Pride Grant

May 24, 2024

PNW’s Educational Opportunity Programs in collaboration with the Center for Faculty Excellence and the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 First-Gen Pride Grants.

Offered as part of PNW’s initiative to address the needs of first-generation students, these grants support faculty and staff in developing differentiated curricular and co-curricular content and activities for first-gen students.

The selection committee was enormously impressed by the enthusiasm and innovation displayed in the proposals we received. This program will continue to provide support for faculty and staff to design and implement collaborative approaches to support the success of first-generation college students through instruction and programming at PNW. Congratulations to the recipients!

2024 Recipients

Project B.E.E-lieve: Building Bridges to Empower and Engage Future Teachers

Amanda Passmore, Suzanne Pfeiffer and Danielle Starks

Project B.E.E.lieve supports first-generation education students at PNW by fostering belonging and aiding in their adjustments through transitional milestones as students and becoming teaching professionals.

Amanda Passmore
Assistant Professor, Special Education/Early Childhood

Suzanne Pfeiffer
Clinical Assistant Professor

Danielle Starks
Visiting Instructor of Special Education

First Generation Podcasts: Stories from First Generation PNW Alumni

Vanessa Quinn, Jake Giles, Katie Holderby, Yvonne Lopez and Yesenia Avalos

We aim to develop a 10-episode podcast were alumni will share their stories. These episodes will be used in GS191 for students to reflect on how alumni have navigated higher education and their career trajectories.

Vanessa Quinn
Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences Professor of Biological Sciences

Katie Holderby
Director of Alumni Engagement

Yesenia Avalos
Associate Director for Student Success and Retention

Addressing Good Insecurity, Nutritional Challenges, and Alcohol Misuse among First-Generation College Students at Purdue University Northwest

Ezra Mutai and Matthew Bauman

This proposal investigates these issues among first-generation college students at PNW using a mixed-method survey, while considering the influence of mental health, identity and family support on their academic journey.

Ezra Mutai
Assistant Professor of Food and Nutrition

Matthew Bauman
Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Developing a Brightspace career guidance resource to support the success of first and continuing generation integrative Human Health students

Matthew Ladwig and John Durocher

We propose creating a supplemental career guidance Brightspace page to increase likelihood of success of our students.

Matthew Ladwig
Assistant Professor of Integrative Human Health

John Durocher
Nils K. Nelson Endowed Professor of Integrative Human Health

Empowering First Generation Students in Mathematics and Statistics

Bir Kafle and Gokarna Aryal

Our proposal aims to provide tailored support and resources to first-generation students to enhance their proficiency and develop confidence in mathematics and statistics courses.

Bir Kafle
Associate Professor of Mathematics

Gokarna Aryal
Professor of Statistics

One Page Syllabus: The Hybrid Model of Syllabus Construction and Use

Hubert Izienicki and Vanessa Quinn

We plan to design a one-page hybrid syllabus that is inviting, informative and easy to navigate without sacrificing any of its content.

Hubert Izienicki
Associate Professor of Sociology