Media Room

Dr. Charlita Shelton, president of University of the Rockies, will present “Helping First Generation College Students Succeed” at a joint conference between the Adult Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) and the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). The annual conference, themed “Adult Learning in a Complex World,” will be held in Indianapolis beginning November 1. 

“First-generation college students – meaning those whose parents did not attend college – are an increasing demographic within the collegiate student body. Most of these students are adult learners who face unique challenges in completing their degree,” said Shelton.

Shelton’s presentation will identify some of the challenges to degree attainment and common responses. She will also provide an overview of first-generation college student demographics and the role in which institutional and support services can promote academic success.

Shelton is a first generation college student who has completed a pair of master’s degrees, a Ph.D., and has risen to prominence as a university president.

About University of the Rockies

University of the Rockies is a graduate school specializing in master's and doctorate degree programs in the social and behavioral sciences. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org), classes are offered online and at the University's Colorado Springs, Colorado, campus. For more information, please visit www.rockies.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 866.621.0124 x2513.