Spotlight

Fall 2021 Seminar on First Generation Success

Scott Learner Teaches Seminar for First Generation Students in the Humanities

First generation students: consider this seminar being offered in Fall 2021 on student success in the Humanities. Becoming the Future: First Gen Student Community and Success in the Humanities will be taught by Scott Lerner and will explore what it means to be a first-gen student; work to develop a sense of belonging on campus; and discuss and reflect on pursuing a degree in the Humanities. The course - University Studies 3, Code 87560 - will be taught 11AM Thursdays this fall, so sign up now!

Scott Lerner is a lecturer in the Composition Program, where he started teaching as a graduate student. Last year co-founded Lucid, a journal of first-gen student writing published annually by the Composition Program. Lucid's second issue, which was published in May, features student writing that grapples with the profound transformations going on in the world, as well as the inner transitions and transformations students are undergoing as they navigate various challenges in college. Lucid is a platform for the expression of first-generation identities and has started essential conversations about this identity on campus.

As a former first-gen student and now first-gen faculty member, Scott's teaching and other efforts focus on helping first-gen students find a sense of belonging and success on campus. His own experiences and challenges as a student have shaped his sensitivity to, and interest in, mentoring first-gen students. In addition to his writing courses, Scott focuses on expanding opportunities for students to participate in meaningful initiatives on campus, such as Lucid