First in family aided by school’s program

Henderson State University is working with a nonprofit organization to help prospective and current low- income, first- generation college students.

The Arkadelphia school has partnered with Strive for College to help the 52 percent of undergraduate students who are the first in their families to go to college, the university said. The collaboration — which costs $ 1,500 annually — includes peer learning communities, in which colleges can share best practices and successful initiatives for recruiting and retaining first- generation students, and a virtual mentoring program that will connect prospective students with mentors for one- to- one guidance for admissions and financial aid processes, the university said.

The university is working with alumni and the campus community to be mentors.

“We often take for granted that students understand the transition from high school to college and know the steps they need to take to successfully complete a degree,” said Brett Powell, the university’s vice president for finance and administration. “For first- generation college students, this is often not the case because they do not have family members to guide them.”

The partnership is the latest initiative the university is undertaking to help all students, especially those who are underrepresented or first- generation.