A Walk In Their Shoes Analysis

A Walk in Their Shoes: Stories of George Mason University First Generation College Students
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This short digital story highlights specific barriers and challenges the majority of First Generation College Students (FGSs) experience, as well as some distinguishing qualities the majority of FGSs embody that contribute to a pathway to success.

The goal of this film is to raise awareness about issues related to FGSs so the community can continue to support this population. By using individual stories of FGSs to frame statistics from national studies, Mason-specific studies, academic journals, and national newspapers, my hope was to illuminate the research using digital storytelling opposed to what is considered more traditional academic research outlets. The

Ultimately, I removed numerous segments that were powerful, but would not fit within the 10-minute timeframe. These deleted segments included stories related to Mason’s EIP, STEP, ODIME, and the Pop-up Pantry. Deciding to cut powerful segments because of poor audio was also difficult to do, but seemed necessary because the distortion would have distracted from the story and the message.

I feel that what went well was that I struck a balance between presenting the negative barriers FGSs face as well as some positive traits. FGS status can oftentimes be seen as a stigma; however, it doesn’t have to be. Being a FGSs can mean so many positive things, including that you are more connected to your family and community, as well as are more civically engaged.

There are several enhancements I envision for this project:
• A classmate asked how can she, a non-FGS, support FGSs? I’d like to add a few details about how this can be done, such as donating to the Mason Pop-up Pantry and mentoring future college