First-generation college students and student-athletes are often more susceptible to attrition due to unique challenges and burdens placed upon them as they navigate the collegiate environment.
In research published by the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, Alan Grosbach, director of ROA at the NAIA, and Dr. Adam R. Cocco, assistant professor at the University of Louisville, aim to understand the determinants influencing retention by examining the association of individual (gender, race, and academic performance) and athletic (financial aid, sport type, and competition level) factors with first-generation student-athlete retention at NAIA institutions.
Overall, the findings demonstrated positive associations among most individual/athletic factors and first-generation student-athlete retention, including gender, race, academic performance, financial aid, and competition level. However, there was no clear indication of a relationship between sport type (individual vs. team sport) and first-generation student-athlete retention.
These results help provide a clearer indication of the factors that can significantly impact the retention of first-generation student-athletes. With this knowledge, institutions can identify ways to more effectively support the retention of first-generation student-athletes.
You can read the full article in the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics.
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