Ariel Arnold is the senior director of student success in the Michigan State University Neighborhood Student Success Center. She is also a first-generation doctoral candidate in the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education, or HALE, program at MSU, writing her dissertation on the subject of first-generation students. Arnold attended Western Michigan University for her undergraduate degree, where she was a member of the track and field team.
My journey to MSU began with a deep curiosity about research, specifically exploring the experiences of first-generation students and the intersection of study abroad. I also had the aspiration of becoming the first member of my family to obtain my doctorate.
As a Black woman, first-generation student and former Division 1 athlete, my college experience was full of unexpected opportunities that extended beyond the classroom, including high-impact practices that fostered student development. Today, in practice with my students, I consistently educate them about various resources and learning opportunities that I lacked awareness of, like studying abroad. Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of education for my siblings and me, instilling in us a sense of responsibility to excel academically. This strong foundation shaped my educational journey to succeed despite various barriers.
Being a trailblazer in my family meant stepping into unfamiliar territory where I didn’t always have the answers, while also educating my family through my experiences. However, I drew on my strengths to succeed and relied heavily on the support from my village: family, mentors, advisors, coaches and various campus support programs. These resources became invaluable as I worked to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive academically, professionally and athletically as an undergraduate student to now, as a doctoral candidate. Today, I am proud to be one of the people supporting first-generation students through my work and research at MSU.
During my search for doctoral programs, I learned that the HALE program was ranked in the top three in the nation. After attending Admitted Student Day, I knew that I was meant to be a Spartan. I started the HALE doctoral program while working full-time at Grand Valley State University. A year after beginning the HALE program, I started working at MSU and had the privilege of taking on various roles within the former Collaborative Learning Center, the Neighborhood Student Success Center and TRIO Student Support Services Program — a federal program that provides educational opportunity outreach designed to motivate and support students from underserved backgrounds.
Currently, as the senior director of the Neighborhood Student Success Center in the Office of Undergraduate Education, reporting to Genyne Royal, I lead a team that fosters student success and closes opportunity gaps for historically marginalized student communities. This is accomplished by being student facing and data informed as we collaborate with campus partners. We are committed to supporting all undergraduate students, focusing on academic achievement, institutional navigation and assuring students feel a sense of community.
It is both a great responsibility and a privilege to work with first-generation students through my practice and scholarship. I find great fulfillment in supporting my students as they achieve milestones, such as being the first to conduct research, secure an internship, join Greek Life, attend graduate school, study abroad or graduate.
I draw on a combination of research, data and my own lived experiences to help educate and guide students through various challenges and opportunities. For example, I collaborated with Justin St. Charles to research how popular culture consumption intersects with identity-conscious practices to better understand diverse experiences. Through my scholarship, I take great pride in advocating for and contributing to the growing body of first-generation literature.
Working toward my doctorate in the HALE program, my dissertation is motivated by my personal and professional experiences working with first-generation students, particularly through TRIO programs at both Grand Valley State University and MSU. I have worked with numerous first-generation students who have studied abroad, and in collaboration with former TRIO students and colleagues at Grand Valley State, I co-authored a publication titled “First Around the World.” This narrative captured the experiences of first-generation students studying abroad and aimed to empower more first-gen students by educating them about these opportunities.
My research provides two key benefits: it offers TRIO personnel an opportunity to reflect on and share their experiences supporting first-gen students in study abroad programs to inform others, and it contributes to the growing body of literature on first-generation students, TRIO programs and study abroad initiatives.
I am grateful to our administrative leadership for prioritizing this important work, and I acknowledge the efforts of those who have paved the way for student success. I look forward to our campus’s continued efforts, including establishing a First-Gen Center led by colleagues Christina Bridges and Heather Shea.
To close opportunity gaps for marginalized and minoritized students, including first-gen students, we must center the strengths of individuals through an intersectional lens while addressing systemic barriers often embedded in curriculum, policy and practice.
