•  
  •  
 

Faculty Mentor

Brenda DeVore Marshall

Abstract

This study analyzes interview videos and transcripts produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The first-generation interviews, known as “Carolina Firsts,” include current students, staff, and faculty. The phenomenological method was used to identify common themes in the videos and transcripts of six interviewees. Eight essential themes were revealed: the dream comes true, beating the odds, facing the unknown, a challenging first semester, reaching for the degree, it gets easier, the issue of pride, and Carolina keeps its promise. The eight themes identified provide new insights into similar communication experiences among Carolina Firsts interviewees. The study offers suggestions for future research in order to continue gaining new insights into first-generation undergraduate experiences.

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.