First-Generation and Low-Income Students Excel at Grinnell

Jun 22, 2024

Four square white enamel pins sit on wooden planks The pins each have the word First-Gen and a mortar board in black with Grinnell College's red laurel leaves in upper left corner

Sam Schmidt ’26 was accepted to Grinnell College as one of about 40 students each year who match with Grinnell through the prestigious QuestBridge National Scholars Match program, which helps high-achieving students from low-income families match with — and get full scholarships to — top colleges. Schmidt is the first person in her family to go to college. QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization that connects academically exceptional low-income students with leading colleges nationwide and helps qualified students achieve admission with partner colleges, including many of the nation’s best schools. Grinnell, a QuestBridge partner since 2010, offers a full scholarship to QuestBridge scholars who meet the College’s highly selective and competitive admission process criteria.

As a first-generation student, Schmidt arrived on campus and realized that she had questions. How would she afford the textbooks required for her classes? How did a college class work, and how or when should she attend office hours held by her professors? Would she ever feel like she really belonged at Grinnell? “I was worried that I would just end up drowning,” she says.

2 women in blue armchairs; on the left, one in summery clothes and the other beige sweater and pants. Behind them are full, glass-fronted bookcases — Sam Schmidt (left) and Maggie Bell (right) chat in the Low-Income Lending Library located in the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice. The library has over 4,500 books and offers academic supplies, including calculators, chemistry lab kits, and more.

Schmidt’s academic achievements prior to Grinnell were exceptional, but she still felt unfamiliar with the unspoken rules of college. She turned to Grinnell’s first-generation and low-income (FGLI) program to get the answers and support she needed. That support has included assistance in getting books and other course-required supplies at no cost. It included panel discussions and connections to older FGLI students, who gave her advice on navigating the nuances of college coursework and expectations. Schmidt has also attended numerous other events and study breaks for FGLI students and feels a strong connection with many of those she’s met. “Having resources that support me if I’m going through a rough period has been really helpful,” Schmidt says.

A Hub for Student Resources

Students who are either first-generation, low-income, or both represent a significant portion of Grinnell’s student body, says Maggie Bell ’17, associate director of first-generation, low-income programs. About 22% of Grinnell students are Pell Grant-eligible (with a typical household income of less than $30,000), and 15% are first-generation college students.

A woman holding a microphone stands near a podium. On the screen behind her is a slide with blue text on a white background that reads FGLI at Grinnell & Beyond. Audience members sit at small tables — Maggie Bell speaks to faculty and staff about FGLI student resources and programming.

Nationwide data shows that both first-generation and low-income students are less likely to graduate from college than students whose parents have attended college. At Grinnell, Bell’s job is to serve as a sounding board, referral to resources, and an encouraging voice for students like Schmidt.

Joe Bagnoli, vice president for enrollment and financial aid, says both first-generation and low-income students are academically and professionally successful at the College. “Grinnell has the good fortune of receiving — and the burden of selecting — highly qualified applicants for admission. When those who are selected from such a competitive group identify as first-generation or low-income, we remain committed to supporting their journey through Grinnell,” he says.

Studies show that advising and personalized guidance can significantly improve graduation outcomes for all students. It’s one of many reasons that Grinnell has committed additional resources and programming for FGLI students. In 2022, the College hired Bell to develop new wide-ranging FGLI programming, coordinate efforts that had been occurring across areas around campus, and provide structure for informal advising and mentoring that was already taking place.

“We want this program to foster the retention and graduation of FGLI students,” Bell says. “But we also want them to feel truly engaged with the Grinnell community. We want to create a sense of belonging.”

A woman sitting at an office desk reaches to accept a set of books handed to her by a mat in a green sweatshirt — Low-Income Lending Library student staff member Isabelle Kolleth ’24 processes book returns at the end of the semester.

Navigating Grinnell

Grinnell is committed to making opportunities for academic support, off-campus study, internships, and travel accessible to all students, but it can be difficult for students to know exactly what they need and the best way to access it. That’s where Bell comes in — she’s built robust, structured programming to help.

The program holds monthly mentoring lunches focused on key topics and on building community. Lunch topics have included the personal journeys and advice of experienced FGLI students, and advice on building a “personal board of advisers” — a support network across a student’s academic, financial, career, personal, and spiritual life.

Bell has also worked with Jessica Stewart, senior associate director of alumni and donor relations, to run a virtual first-gen alumni mentoring program that pairs first-gen alumni with current first-gen students. The program participants meet weekly to discuss topics including building relationships and taking risks, as well as more tangible subjects like managing finances. Alumni and students are each given prompts for discussion, and the connection can last for the recommended six-week term — or for as long as both the student and alum want to stay connected.

Two people in pink shirts hold up library cards behind a table of book on display and a poster that reads Drake Community Library Library card Drive get yours today — The Low-Income Lending and Drake Community libraries hosted a public library card drive to help students better access resources for academics and entertainment.

Students also get advice and connections to other offices on campus that enable them to participate and excel with off-campus study, internships, and career development. For example, Schmidt participated in a Grinnell Global Learning Program (GLP) spring 2023 class led by Maria Tapias and Carolyn Herbst Lewis that went to Ecuador, Peru, and Japan. The course focused on finding meaning and living well in a global context, and delved into how different cultures view these concepts.

Patty Amador-Lacson, senior associate director of admission and coordinator of strategic partnerships, adds that other resources, such as the Career Clothing Closet and the opportunity to get professional digital headshots on campus at no cost, also help.

“Grinnell works really hard to make sure FGLI students access all the opportunities available to them,” Amador-Lacson says. “And we’re always trying to do better.”

Bell has more plans to expand FGLI programming, but her early work has already earned notice. In 2023, she was recognized with a prestigious Eunice A. Dell Memorial Award, which honors a young professional woman in Iowa higher education who aspires to move up in the field.

“You Are Part Of What Makes Grinnell, Grinnell”

Two women in black jackets hold bags. The woman on the left is reaching towards a pile of gum, will open boxes of microwave popcorn appear on the right. — FGLI Advisory Committee members Luyen Pham ’26 and Kenn Anderson ’24 helped put together 150 care packages distributed to FGLI students during reading day and finals week.

Bell notes, “A lot of times, students can feel like they’re the only first-gen student, or the only low-income student, and that can cause a lot of fear and anxiety,” she says. It is why Bell considers a big part of her work helping to foster a sense of community and connection among FGLI students.

These efforts include biweekly FGLI forums to discuss topics chosen by students. Recent subjects have included how family dynamics change when a student leaves for college and the material objects that help FGLI students stay connected to their identity and even bridge identities. “These events provide students with the opportunity to understand that they aren’t alone in many of their experiences, to listen and share their own stories in a space that lends a sense of safety and affinity, and to reflect upon their identities and learn where they have agency to positively shape their paths,” says Bell.

Bell also offers activities designed to build a sense of connection, like study breaks with activities, crafts, and discussion. At one event, students created friendship bracelets with a “word of the year” that would help focus them on their goals and values.

Last year, FGLI students successfully proposed a first-generation “project house,” a residence life program designed for students who share a common interest and who want to promote that interest to the campus community through programming and events. Alex Dixon ’26 lived in the house on campus in spring 2024 with 10 other students and will serve as the house’s coordinator in the fall. He says that having a physical space and an intentional community of students who share a common identity has been valuable. “We all have relatively similar struggles,” says Dixon. “There’s an implicit understanding that we’re all coming from a similar type of experience.”

A large sign in front of a house reads in white letters on black First Gen House Student Residence the address, 1103 East, appears in white text on a red bar below. 2 women stroll by in the background

Dixon’s interest in community extends beyond the project house. He also was selected to work as a research assistant with Monty Roper on the Build a Better Grinnell 2030 Visioning Project. The project, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, brings together 19 organizations from across the area to evaluate the assets and needs of the Grinnell community with the goal of promoting community thriving. The project has included building connections with a wide range of individuals and organizations through surveys, meetings, focus groups, and interviews.

In a similar way, Bell’s aims to create a community that helps FGLI students thrive at Grinnell and understand how their unique perspectives and identities play an important role in Grinnell’s strengths as an institution. “I want FGLI students to know, you contribute to the Grinnell experience; you are part of what makes Grinnell, Grinnell.”

Schmidt and Dixon have made it a point to “pay it forward” by supporting their peers. Both have served on the First-Generation, Low-Income Advisory Committee.

Schmidt sees the College — and herself — in a new light today. She is in a much different place than when she started as a first-year student with countless questions. She knows how to approach a class and how to evaluate opportunities outside of the classroom. She’s a frequent attendee at FGLI programming. And she knows she’s part of a larger community that wants her to succeed. “I’ll see people on campus all the time who I’ve seen at FGLI events,” she says. “Here, we’ve created a safety net. I know I have a community to rely on.”

Alumni Council Adds Support

Nine students of mixed races and genders pose in a line with Anne Harris who is second from the left — FGLI Advisory Committee members recently met with President Anne F. Harris over lunch to share their stories and discuss ongoing opportunities for collaborative initiatives that support FGLI students on campus

Expanding programming and resources for first generation and low-income students has been a priority for the Alumni Council’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee in recent years, says former committee chair Debbie Gottschalk ’90. They have supported initiatives like the creation of the full-time FGLI programming position that Bell now holds, as well as more generous terms for the Laptop Loaner program.

Gottschalk says there are plenty of ways that alumni can continue to support student success in addition to participating as mentors. “Alumni can offer internships and externships and donate to support these programs, as well as towards scholarships, or the Pioneer Fund,” she says.

Helping Grinnell students flourish, she says, is something the entire Grinnell community can support. To learn more, contact Maggie Bell.

Originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of The Grinnell Magazine.