Maddy Thurber, Staff Writer
VCU’s class of 2030 has the most first-generation college students in university history.
The university’s current first-year profile lists the number of first-generation students at 40%, according to VCU News. VCU reported that 36.9% of freshmen were first-generation in fall 2024, compared to 36.5% in fall 2023, according to its 2024-25 annual report.
Hernan Bucheli, vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management and Global Initiatives, said VCU has taken a more “intentional approach” to reaching students who may not have a traditional roadmap to college.
“We do not simply want to enroll more first-generation students, we want to create the conditions that enable academically prepared students to thrive, earn their degrees and fully realize the value of a VCU education,” Bucheli said.
VCU defines first-generation students as those whose parents or legal guardians did not earn a bachelor’s degree. For these students, entering college can mean learning how to navigate higher education without family members who have gone through the experience themselves, according to VCU admissions.
VCU offers support through You First at VCU, which provides programming, mentorship and opportunities for first-generation students to connect with faculty and staff. The university’s First-Generation Student Success and Research Center focuses on engagement, retention and degree completion, according to the university’s website.
Elizabeth S. Banbacus, director of First-Generation Student Experience, said the program aims to “demystify the college experience and remove barriers” for first-generation students.
“The wraparound support services that VCU has for students take the first-generation college student experience into account more and more each year,” Banbacus stated.
The You First Mentoring Program connects first-generation students with peer mentors who can help them navigate academics, campus resources and other parts of college life, according to its website. Jorge Piocuda, a VCU faculty member and first-generation college graduate, said his transition to college was sometimes isolating and he faced big financial challenges. He said his past experiences influence how he works with students. He tries to recognize that students enter college with different levels of experience and access to resources.
“Understanding how to navigate things alone and knowing that at times this journey was very isolating because my parents had never been to college, it was just me,” Piocuda said.
Piocuda said connections with faculty and other professionals can be particularly valuable for students who may not have family members with college experience.
VCU’s growing first-generation population has prompted the university to consider how faculty and staff can better support students once they arrive on campus.
“Faculty and staff may not know that the incoming class is 40% first-gen,” Piocuda said. “So, how do they structure their classes, how do they provide information and support to those students and get it to them in a timely fashion?”