Working-Class Dean

Working-Class Dean

Ohio Wesleyan Professor's New Book Explores the Hidden Strengths of First-Gen College Students

DELAWARE, Ohio - Ohio Wesleyan University Professor Paul Dean has written a new book exploring "Class Cultures and Social Mobility: The Hidden Strengths of Working-Class First-Generation Graduates." It's a topic near to Dean's heart, who was the first in his family to attend college.

"I grew up in a working-class family," shares Dean, Ph.D., who joined OWU's Department of Sociology & Anthropology in 2012. "My dad fixed machinery in a factory, my mom worked the counter at McDonald's, and my father's union job kept the lights on - but just barely."

'A Whole New World'

Dean knows the eye-opening journey he made between earning his two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Administration in 2000 and completing his Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology in 2012. And he drew upon that first-hand knowledge as he researched his new book, which is part of the Rutgers University Press "Critical Issues in American Education" series. Dean's "Class Cultures and Social Mobility" will be released Nov. 11, at the conclusion of this year's national First-Generation College Celebration Week.

"When working-class, first-generation students step onto a college campus or into a professional workplace, it can feel like entering a whole new world," said Dean, who hopes the book speaks to educators and first-generation college families alike. "We wrestle with imposter syndrome and difficulties fitting in - but our class backgrounds don't have to hold us back. In this book, I show how first-gen graduates navigate the emotional climb of upward mobility and turn their working-class roots into a source of strength."

Perceptions and Realities

Through his research, Dean also shows how the college experience may differ for working-class first-gen (WCFG) students and middle-class students who aren't the first members of their families to pursue higher education.

"For example," he said, "WCFG students may have been taught to listen to authority figures and not talk back, so we might misinterpret their lesser participation in class discussions as a lack of preparation. WCFG may believe that being a responsible student means to figure it out themselves and not burden the instructor, so we could confuse their not asking for help as a lack of motivation. They have been taught to speak more concretely, so we might misperceive them not using abstract concepts as a lack of ability."

More Than Academic

With 33% of Ohio Wesleyan's 1,652 students being the first in their families to pursue college, Dean's research is much more than academic. The award-winning Ohio Wesleyan professor works to help the WCFG students navigate college culture through OWU's newly endowed Palmer Center for First-Generation Student Success.

The center's mission is to "empower and support first-generation students on their journey to academic excellence, personal growth, and professional success" with tailored programs and experiences, including mentored internships.

Dean credits his working-class roots with inspiring his research, teaching, and mentoring. "From those early years," he explained, "I learned to work hard, take care of people around me, and value what truly matters."

'Straightforward, Engaging'

Reviewers agree the book is a valuable resource for WCFG families and educators.

Annette Lareau, author of "Unequal Childhoods," states: "This book is so well written! It would be excellent for undergraduate courses as it is rooted in the literature and rich with original data. 'Class Cultures and Social Mobility' shines a bright light on the 'hidden strengths' people raised in working-class homes bring to their middle-class worlds."

Learn more about Dean and his book at DrPaulDean.com, more about OWU's Department of Sociology & Anthropology at owu.edu/SOAN, and more about the Palmer Center for First-Generation Student Success at owu.edu/FirstGen.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.