First Generation Students Writing Workshop
By Danielle Lorenz

Are you the first person in your immediate family to attend a post-secondary institution? If that is the case, by definition you are a First Generation Student. With up to 30% of university applicants being First Generation Students, both schools and the government have realized that FGS have a more unique university experience than their peers who have a family member that embarked on education at the post-secondary level. First Generation Students vary from so-called “traditional” students in that their assumed knowledge of university, personal commitment and familial support is disadvantaged.

Due to this issue, the First Year Experience Office has developed a plan specifically for First Generation Students. The aim of the program is to bridge the gap between FGS and their “traditional” peers. The curriculum offers support from upper-year Peer Mentors, who are also FG students (and one of whom is me!). In addition, the program gives FGS comprehensive knowledge of all the services and resources available to them on campus. The FYEO is positive that the project will encourage and support all First Generation students in being successful in completing their academic goals.

The first course available for First Generation students is a writing workshop. The goal of this session is to aid students in enhancing their academic writing skills. The emphasis will be on the academic writing process, which includes thesis development, structure, argumentation, clarity, flow, style and paragraph structure.

This workshop is being facilitated by Joanne Buckley, TESL, M.Ed.,Ph.D. She is an Academic Skills Counsellor in the Centre for Student Development (CSD). Joanne is the author of “Fit to Print: The Canadian Student’s Guide to Essay Writing” and has been on the Canadian Best Seller’s list. She has also written ‘Checkmate: A Writing Reference for Canadians, which we believe all students who need to write and research papers effectively should have as a resource.

The seminar is available on October 9th from 10:00AM-11:30AM, or on October 11th from 3:00PM-4:30PM. If you would like to attend please send an email to [email protected]. The deadline for your response is September 28th, and we encourage that you only pick one session.

Great idea.

Indeed, I wish they had this for me when I started out.

But they have me as a peer mentor three years later?

I wish they had this for me.... but I'm not a first generation. I'm I supposed to go ask my Dad to help me write essays?
-That would be pretty funny actually.

CSD offers essay clinics and help throughout the year, actually.

True, and they are indeed very helpful.

Oh and sorry, I didn't explain myself, the only reason I wanted to comment in the first place is because I really don't understand the term "traditional" it makes no sense really. Because technically, I bet most parents who went to university were first generation themselves, so I think the first generation term would better fit the description of "traditional." As well, universities are very different from when parents went to school.
-I'm just **** about words and descriptions sometimes... over thinking unimportant things like that.
It is a great idea though, because I'm sure that anyone, who for whatever reason is disadvantage in their prior knowledge of university could be involved. It's most likely not just about what peoples' parents have done, though that's what the term originally suggested to me. And in the case that it can be for anyone in the FG situation without the FG title, I wish that I had something like this is first year too. ... Actually before first year!!!! There should be more prep for uni in high school -I think. Not everyone is able to go to events at their university before school starts and that sort of thing. I knew nothing about university before I came here... lol, my first lecture was actually shocking to me.

I'm not really keen about the definition of traditional either, but hense why I put it in quotation marks. And you are correct; technically if a parent was the first to go to university they would have been a FG student themselves, but I disagree with you in saying that a FG student would be considered a traditional student. This is true now moreso as the amount of FG students is decreasing from what I understand.

And yes, it would be beneficial for a lot of people to understand what university is like before they come; which is why the FG program is so good, as they had a mini lecture during the summer, which a lot of the incoming first year students found quite helpful.