Date of Award

5-10-2026

Date Published

June 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching and Curriculum

Advisor(s)

Jeffery Mangram

Keywords

community cultural wealth;educational identity;first-generation college student;Jehovah's Witnesses;self-determination theory;summer bridge programs

Subject Categories

Education

Abstract

This mixed-methods research study examined the educational identity formation of first-generation college students during the transition into higher education through participation in a six-week summer bridge program. Drawing on Community Cultural Wealth and Self-Determination Theory, the study situated identity development at the intersection of institutional entrance, cultural capital, and motivation. Survey data from 135 participants were analyzed descriptively to examine patterns of identity signaling and motivational orientation. Qualitative interviews with a purposive subsample of participants were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory methods to examine meaning-making related to transition, autonomy, belonging, and academic self-concept. Autoethnographic excerpts and brief reflexive statements clarified researcher positionality and supported transparency in interpretation. Findings indicated that first-generation identity functioned as a dominant framework shaping how students interpreted academic challenge, institutional navigation, and perceptions of legitimacy. Across the dataset, students constructed understandings of themselves as academically self-reliant and future-oriented, including students who did not explicitly self-identify as first-generation college students The results of this study have significance for how institutions, program administrators, and researchers understand identity development among first-generation college students in early access transition programs. The findings suggest that students engage higher education as educational pioneers, actively constructing academic pathways while drawing on community-based forms of capital. Increased attention to identity formation and to the conditions under which institutional support is extended may help institutions design transition programs that more effectively support equitable and identity-affirming entry into higher education.

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Open Access

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