F-Gen Experiences as Disruption of Innovation

Summary
This two-year project focuses on writing a chapter for the anthology Rethinking Higher Education Through the Experiences, Insights, and Strengths of First-Generation College Students. My chapter, titled First-Generation Experiences as Disruption of Innovation, and the Innovative Mindset for Thriving in Study Abroad Programs, explores how the unique perspectives and lived experiences of first-generation college students supports a transformation of innovation practices and the ability to thrive in study abroad programs. By redefining innovation beyond traditional entrepreneurial and commercial contexts, the chapter emphasizes the importance of empathy, critical thinking, and community engagement in equipping students to navigate complex and uncertain global environments.

Drawing from the principles of design justice and frameworks like discursive design, radical participatory design, and community-led practices, the chapter highlights how first-generation students can disrupt the status quo of innovation and champion futures rooted in human, social, and environmental justice. By integrating insights from experts, practitioners, and students from both the U.S. and global contexts, the chapter aims to reimagine study abroad programs as sites for transformative education and systemic change. Ultimately, it underscores the role of first-generation students as critical agents in reshaping international education and fostering more inclusive and equitable approaches to innovation in higher education.

Objective
The objective of the anthology is to serve as a valuable resource for higher education scholars and practitioners who aim to develop, implement, or enhance asset-based approaches and support systems for first-generation college students. This chapter specifically contributes by exploring how study abroad programs can be redefined to better support and amplify the strengths of these students, thereby fostering a more inclusive and equitable framework for international education.

Approach
This project employs secondary research methods, synthesizing existing literature, case studies, and expert commentary to analyze and propose strategies for enhancing study abroad programs with first-generation students in mind. By integrating diverse perspectives, the research aims to provide actionable insights and recommendations for educators and institutions.

Abstract 

The Innovation Minor at the University of Portland is an academic program that breaks common definitions of design and innovation away from entrepreneurial and commercial contexts and focuses on forging a mindset and skillset built on empathy, critical thinking, sense-making, change-making, and being of service. The program creates a safe space for first-generation students to further disrupt the status quo of innovation, develop practices that support engagement with local communities, and support the holistic development of students to thrive in study abroad programs. 

As the first in their family to earn a college degree, first-generation students have witnessed and experienced challenges and trauma that your typical college student will never encounter. These experiences shape a bias towards actions and ideals that are atypical in the context of mainstream innovation. First-generation students support a broadening re-definition and a new philosophical approach to innovation. Their experiences provide an awareness of systems, and the program fosters their ability to challenge and rewrite those systems at the macro and micro levels. First-generation students are perfect candidates for rewriting what innovation means as a verb, a noun, and the reason “why?” we innovate. 

To design and innovate is to shape a preferred future. Those at the margins have never been in a position to define a preferred future. Black, brown, and Asian futures are often relegated as “alternative futures” as opposed to the commonly known dominant or official futures. The concept of Design Justice frames opportunities for first-generation students to envision futures that support those who have been historically disadvantaged or confined under layers of dominating systems. They are uniquely positioned to influence adjacent or opposing mindsets to explicitly challenge rather than reproduce structural inequalities and strive to define futures under human, social, and environmental implications before seeking the benefits for an economic, political, or business impact. 

Holistic development and study abroad programs increase the ability of students to make a positive impact on the world. Innovation supports students with the mindset and skillset to ethically engage and facilitate change in local communities and the wicked problems around the world. Concepts and methods found in contemporary approaches of discursive design, community-led practices, design ethnography, and design research are combined and curated into custom frameworks that support the development of empathy and compassion-driven solutions. The innovative mindset and skillset support students in engaging in complex, uncertain, and ambiguous settings found in study abroad programs or any local or global endeavor. 

Any gesture towards change is an act of innovation. First-generation students bring fresh insights, an openness to community-led practices, and bold perspectives of the future to the table. Innovation empowers first-generation students to envision “first-gen futures,” and the mindset and skillset prepare any student to thrive in a study abroad context or any gesture towards change.