UCA receives TIAA Innovation Award from FirstGen Forward

Award rewards emerging innovations, solutions that advance the success of first-generation students

FirstGen Forward, the center for first-generation student success, recently announced the University of Central Arkansas as one of five higher education institutions to receive the TIAA Innovation Award. The award, provided by FirstGen Forward with support from TIAA, will support new or existing programs, services or initiatives that implement creative approaches to enhancing campus-wide success for first-generation students.

"We are extremely honored to be selected for a TIAA Innovation Award," UCA Vice President for Student Affairs Robin Williamson said. "This award will allow UCA to create the First-Gen Innovation Fellows program, a paid fellowship opportunity for first-generation students that will help identify, design, and implement programs and opportunities that enhance the first-generation student experience and empower all students' success."

The TIAA Innovation Award provides institutions with $10,000 in unrestricted funds to apply to first-generation student success initiatives in one of two pathways:

• The "Scalable" pathway provides funds to expand and adapt existing programs, services or initiatives to support a larger number of first-generation students across the campus without compromising quality or effectiveness. This involves designing solutions that can be efficiently scaled to meet increasing demand, ensuring that the benefits of innovative approaches to enhancing first-generation student success are extended to a broader audience. Scalability ensures that as the program grows, it continues to provide meaningful support and positive outcomes for all first-generation students.
• The "Creative" pathway provides funds to generate original and innovative ideas that enhance campus-wide success for first-generation students. This involves thinking outside the box to develop unique programs, services or initiatives that address first-generation students' specific needs and challenges. Creativity ensures that solutions are not only effective but engaging and inspiring, fostering a dynamic and supportive campus environment that encourages academic and personal growth.
  UCA's award for First-Gen Innovation Fellows falls in the Creative pathway and will allow students to work alongside faculty and staff who are assisting first-gen students in their academic career at UCA. These Fellows will research, provide data analysis and partner with the university committee for first-gen student success to create events, programs and other opportunities that may lead to student success.

"With 54% of current undergraduate students identifying as first-generation, achieving unprecedented first-gen student success will have a life-changing impact across generations, as college completion is a significant contributor to education, workforce and life success for the families of graduates," Dr. Stephanie Bannister, President of FirstGen Forward, said. "UCA has displayed a commitment to creating solutions that advance the success of their first-generation students, and their selection as a recipient of a TIAA Innovation Award is a recognition of their efforts to date and their future success."

All TIAA Innovation Award recipients will author an award brief detailing their efforts, including the establishment of learning outcomes, success metrics and initial results of their programs, services or initiatives. The award briefs will be compiled into a summary and published on the FirstGen Forward website. Additionally, award recipients will be encouraged to present their work at high-profile conferences supported by FirstGen Forward.

"TIAA proudly supports the outstanding work of FirstGen Forward and higher education professionals who are shaping the futures of millions of first-generation students with their creative support solutions," Laura Turner, Head of Community Impact at TIAA, said. "Many of us at TIAA are first-generation college students ourselves, and we know how a bachelor's degree can lead to a more secure financial future, including a financially secure retirement."

More information about first-generation efforts at UCA is available at uca.edu/studentsuccess/first-gen. More information about FirstGen Forward and the TIAA Innovation Award is available at firstgenforward.org.