Presentation 1: How can prevention programs meaningfully engage students as partners in program design? This presentation explores how the University of Michigan's Raise the Bar program used community-based participatory evaluation (CBPE) principles to strengthen prevention education addressing the intersection of substance use and sexual violence. Recognizing that students are experts in their own experiences, Raise the Bar engaged undergraduate students throughout the evaluation process to identify barriers to participation, gaps in knowledge, and opportunities to strengthen prevention efforts. Through focus groups, participant surveys, and feedback from piloted workshops, students played an active role in informing the program's future direction. Rather than positioning participants solely as sources of data, this approach emphasized collaboration, shared learning, and the integration of student perspectives into program planning and decision-making. This session will examine how CBPE principles informed the evaluation design, facilitated authentic student engagement, and translated participant feedback into actionable program improvements. Attendees will learn how student input shaped revisions to educational content, outreach strategies, and implementation planning, including efforts to expand harm reduction education, increase awareness of campus support resources, and develop messaging that reflects students' lived experiences. The presentation will also discuss lessons learned from using participatory evaluation within a campus prevention initiative and offer practical strategies for incorporating community voice into program development, implementation, and continuous improvement.
Presentation 2: First-generation college students (FGCS) often face challenges adapting to the academic and social environments of elite institutions like Dartmouth College. Lacking familial experience in higher education, they must decode unspoken institutional norms, contributing to stress, social isolation, and barriers to accessing institutional support. This study examines how FGCS experience academic pressure, social belonging, and engagement with campus systems, and how these shape their personal and professional trajectories. Drawing on participant-generated audio diary journals with alumni, qualitative interviews with faculty and staff, and a review of existing literature, this research highlights the interplay of academic stress, coping strategies, cultural capital, and intersectional identities in shaping FGCS outcomes. Findings suggest that while academic stress is a significant barrier, structured support programs, mentorship, and peer networks play a critical role in fostering resilience and reducing uncertainty. Additionally, institutional fluency—the ability to interpret and operate within implicit norms and campus systems— is essential for academic success and long-term professional development. By emphasizing the roles of social support, help-seeking pathways, and identity negotiation, this study contributes to scholarship on educational equity, social mobility, and the long-term impact of higher education on FGCS post-graduate trajectories.
