How to increase success of first-generation college students

To help today's first-generation college students and ethnic minorities succeed in college, faculty and staff need to build positive relationships with students, help them navigate college life and let them know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

That's the word from Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, a nationally known speaker, educator and author in the field of higher education.

He recently visited the College of Lake County's Grayslake Campus to present workshops for faculty and staff during fall orientation week.

In the classroom, a professor can model behavior by asking a student to assist with simple tasks such as moving a table.

"You may be capable of lifting it yourself, but ask for help anyway," he said. "You're demonstrating that it's OK, and not a sign of weakness, to ask for help."

Strayhorn added that today's college students need to become good storytellers - of their own story and of their employer's story.

"Being a clear, concise storyteller ranked in the top 10 skills that employers want in job applicants," Strayhorn said, citing a survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

After singing a spirited version of "This Little Light of Mine" in front of 600 CLC faculty and staff, Strayhorn said that when he was a child, his no-nonsense grandmother taught him the song and helped him overcome his fear of singing the hymn in front of church members.

He used his musical example to show that each student has his or her own light, and that positive reinforcement plays a powerful role in helping students succeed.

Strayhorn is director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise and professor of higher education at The Ohio State University. An acclaimed higher education researcher and policy analyst, Strayhorn has written eight books and monographs, including "The Evolving Challenges of Black College Students," "College Students' Sense of Belonging," and "Theoretical Frameworks in College Student Research."

Strayhorn was named "one of the most highly visible new scholars in his field" by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. BusinessFirst Magazine named him one of the "Top 20 to Know in Education."

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