‘Gen-1 House’ Aids Low-Income, First-Generation Students

Written by: Therese Kattner
Published On: May 21, 2012

In the United States, only about 11 percent of low-income, first-generation college students earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. Factor in low-income students who never attend college at all, and that’s a lot of underdeveloped talent.

“When you consider the loss of that kind of human potential, it’s really mind-boggling,” says Judy Mause, program coordinator of the Gen-1 House, a University of Cincinnati residence hall exclusively for low-income, first-generation students.

Gen-1 House currently holds 24 full-time UC freshmen who are eligible for Pell Grants and whose parents don’t have college degrees, says Bob Suess, Gen-1 project director. In return for intensive support, the residents agree to abide by a set of house and academic rules that are more rigorous than other residence halls’ rules. Residents sign contracts promising that they will