What is a first-generation college student? At the University of Kansas, it’s someone whose parents or guardians have not earned a bachelor’s degree. For Dr. Angie Hendershot, that journey from uncertainty to achievement shaped her calling to support the next generation of Jayhawks.

 

Arriving at college as a first-generation student often means creating your own roadmap to success. At KU, it’s an experience shared by 3,000+ current students, and one that is deeply personal to Angie Hendershot. 

Hendershot is an instructor at the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications and a newly minted PhD. As the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, she’s turning her experience into action. 

The first-gen experience is at the heart of Hendershot’s story and her research. It’s helped build the foundation of her teaching and her commitment to helping Jayhawks see themselves reflected and supported in academic spaces.

From First-Generation Student to Faculty 

Growing up, Hendershot knew college mattered, but she did not have a clear picture of what could come after earning an undergraduate degree.

“I did not fully comprehend that graduate school would be a viable path for me financially,” she said. “I decided to go into industry from my undergraduate degree, not really realizing there were grad school paths available to me.” 

Like many first-generation students, she learned the landscape by experiencing it and adjusting along the way. She eventually found her way back to higher education with a master's in integrated marketing communications (Now called DIMC) after building a professional career.

“I was determined to find a way to earn a master’s degree so that I was in a position to teach someday,” she said. “After having been a first-gen college student and putting myself through undergrad, the idea of having my employer pay for my tuition was really appealing.” 

Even without early guidance, she kept her long-held academic dream in sight. “I worked primarily in corporate America, but never lost that dream of becoming a professor,” she said. “I pursued my career largely as a way to collect experiences that I thought would be useful in a classroom.” 

Her education and professional experience came full circle with an opportunity to teach at KU. Hendershot’s hope is that first-gen students like her can see what is possible, even when the path is not obvious at first.

Support and Resources for First-Gen Jayhawks

At KU, first-generation students can explore scholarships and financial aid guidance designed to remove barriers to higher education. Resources such as The Jerry Bailey Educational Opportunity Scholarship, TRIO McNair Scholars Program and Jayhawk Access Grants are available to help eligible students focus on their goals and find community on campus. 

As a First-Gen Forward Institution, KU also offers strong academic support systems and mentoring to help first-generation Jayhawks succeed. Hendershot sees this welcome for first-generation students as foundational. “I think KU has demonstrated the most important thing, which is that it values having first generation students in its learning community,” she said. 

The university emphasizes that value with programs like Hawk Link, Jayhawk JumpStart, and Mentored Scholars. There are celebrations and alumni support systems that help students see themselves as part of the university. For many first-generation Jayhawks, these programs provide the foundation for their academic success.

“They have telegraphed this message in many ways by welcoming first-gen students, and by creating specific programs to invite them on board,” Hendershot shared. “They’ve done this by celebrating them during first-gen week and at other times throughout the year.”

“I think that's the absolute most important thing a university can do, is to recognize that first-gen students are a gift to us as a college. One thing that I think we're all striving to do more in higher ed is lower the financial barriers to succeeding and continuing in college, and I think KU has worked very hard to stay accessible.”

— Dr. Angie Hendershot, University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications 

Creating Change Through Research and Connection

Now Dr. Hendershot is building on that foundation through new research that explores how digital spaces shape the lives of first-generation graduates. “When I began exploring research topics, my interest was on social class and social media and how those two intersect,” she said, and added that studying first-generation graduates “was an opportunity that really filled the research gap.”

What she discovered along the way is that her own personal experience as a first-gen faculty member had a unique value. “When there aren't many faculty who are first-generation, there tends to not be a lot of research on that topic,” said Hendershot. “It gave voice to people who I knew were interesting and important and creating a lot of value in our learning communities.” 

She was recently awarded a regional research grant from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) to expand her study of social media financial influencers. She is examining how first-generation college graduates respond to “finfluencer” content and how those online voices influence career and financial decisions.

“Studying first-generation college graduates enabled me to explain some of the phenomenon that I had experienced throughout my own life,” Hendershot shared. Her work examines the role digital communication plays in shaping opportunity, community, and financial confidence during the first decade after graduation.

Her research has shown that enhanced support for students after graduation would be beneficial. “If we could continue to care for our students in the immediate time as they transition from us, I think we're in a position to really help them,” she said.

“One of the things that emerged in my research is that students form supportive appraisal feedback from their professors and faculty and staff members while they're in college, and it is hard to maintain that connection afterwards. I believe social or digital media can help with that.” 

Lessons Learned Along the Way

Hendershot is open about the obstacles many first-gen students face, particularly finances and distance from family. “The main things that I see as challenges are financial,” she said, going on to outline the tradeoffs many students make: balancing work and school, supporting family, and avoiding debt where possible. 

She described making practical choices to afford college, such as working an on-campus job as a resident assistant (RA) to help cover room and board, and how those realities shape decisions after graduation. 

Another difficulty can be leaving their familial support system. “Many first-gen students have incredibly strong emotional support from their family but have to choose to be physically separate to pursue their education,” she shared. “One of the things I study is how social media can help us stay connected to our emotionally supportive families during times like this.”

She also emphasizes the strengths first-gen students bring to the table, and the list is long. 

“First generation students often bring a work ethic or a work experience that is really useful in their academic pursuits,” she said, noting resilience and on-the-job skills that translate to the classroom and the workforce. “The conventional wisdom that I think a lot of faculty observe is a resilience and a grit as well of an ability to overcome difficulty.”

Advice for Future First-Gen Jayhawks

When asked what she would tell a nervous future first-gen student, Hendershot offered a clear, emphatic message:

“First, I would tell that student you are the prize. And they will be lucky to have you.” She followed that with words of encouragement about building the experience a student wants.

“College will be what you make of it, and if you desire academic rigor or social impact or expanding horizons with new perspectives, you will be able to find that. No matter what your situation is, no matter what major you choose or what dorm you live in, you will be able to create the experience that you want, and you will be so proud of yourself when you complete that. For every barrier that is put in your path, there's a resource somewhere that wants to help you with that.”

— Dr. Angie Hendershot, University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications