UC s Gen-1 Theme House

UC’s Gen-1 Theme House has been highlighted in national news outlets including the New York Times, NBC Nightly News, Inside Higher Ed and USA Today for its innovations in supporting at-risk college students. The 26-bed housing community opened in 2008 to serve freshmen who were most at risk for dropping out of college – first generation, Pell eligible students – by providing a 24/7 structured living and learning environment, as well as tutoring and mentoring support. The program expanded in 2011 with a residential component to serve the Gen-1 House’s returning sophomores and again in 2012 for juniors.

The Gen-1 House has single and double suites along with a study room, living room, recreation room, dining areas and kitchen and laundry room. Located in the tudor-style Stratford Heights complex on Clifton Avenue, the housing community, supported by the UC Partner for Achieving School Success (

UC PASS

) Center in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (

CECH

), aims to help these at-risk students have a successful freshman year in college, return to UC for their sophomore year, and complete their baccalaureate degree within six years.

The house has two full-time staff members who serve as mentors/advisors. A resident graduate advisor lives at the house full-time, and two resident advisors at the home are Gen-1 college juniors. Program supports include mentoring, individual and small-group tutoring, voluntary and mandatory study sessions, frequent monitoring of student academic performance and social activities and professional counseling and guidance.

Freshmen must commit to earning a minimum GPA of 2.33 per academic semester and 2.50 GPA after completing their freshman year; sophomores/juniors must commit to earning a 2.67 GPA per semester.

Gen-1 Expansion

The program expanded in 2011 with a residential component for 11 sophomores who were Gen-1 Theme House ‘alumni’ and a non-residential support program for approximately 30 sophomore, junior, and senior Gen-1 alums. It expanded again in 2012 to accommodate juniors.

Number of first-generation, Pell-eligible freshmen who moved into the house in 2008:

14 freshmen

Number of students who moved into the house in 2009:

24 freshmen

Number of students moving into the house in 2010:

25 freshmen

Number of students moving into the house in fall 2011:

25 freshmen/11 sophomores

Number of students moving into the house in fall 2012:

24 freshmen/19 sophomores/8 juniors

Total number of students served by the Gen-1 House since 2008:

113

In 2010, the Gen-1 Theme House was named among three “exceptional initiatives” in the Midwest to be honored with the first CollegeKeys Compact™ Innovation Awards.

Gen-1 Residents, Funding & Support (Reported by the UC PASS Center)

Funding to support the Gen-1 Theme House – approximately $1,750,000 since 2008 – has supported housing subsidies, meal plans and scholarships for students; staff compensation; and programming and services. Judy Mause, program coordinator, says that across UC, the UC PASS Center has also been dedicated to building a greater institutional awareness of, sensitivity to, and support of first-generation, Pell-eligible students, especially freshmen.

Total Funding the Gen-1 House has received: Approximately $1,750,000

2008-2009: $100,000

2009-2010: $125,000

2010-2011: $375,000

2011-2012: $600,000

2012-2013: $550,000

Funding Sources

(Reported by UC PASS Center)

• University of Cincinnati

(College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services; McMicken College of Arts & Sciences ; College of Allied Health Sciences; College of Engineering and Applied Science; College-Conservatory of Music; College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning; Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost; Enrollment Management; Carl H. Lindner College of Business)

• Social Innovation Fund
• Insured Success Foundation
• Haile Foundation
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation
• Woodward Trust Fund
• MJ93 (Michael Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals)
• Joseph & Virginia R. Murphy Estate
• Key Bank
• Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati
• Individual Donors
  

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for information on supporting the Gen-1 Theme House