A Study of First-generation, Low-income, Commuter Students and Their Connection to the Campus Community

Abstract

First-generation, low-income (FGLI), commuter students are crippled by not knowing what they do not know. Nearly 1/3 of first-generation students drop out of college before they attain a degree (Ishitani, 2016). As the demographic for incoming freshman shifts to commuter students considered low-income first-generation, universities need to consider additional resources and connections to facilitate their success due to the lack of time they spend on campus. This phenomenological study explored the stories of current low-income, first-generation, sophomore commuter students to understand their perception of the campus community’s influence on their sense of belonging and their ability to academically succeed.