Logan Jackson, Graduate Communication Studies Student.
Logan Jackson was a first-generation college student. Now, she’s a first-generation college graduate student, a designation Jackson found not nearly as recognized. So little so that she decided to make it the subject of her graduate research as a master’s student in communication studies at TCU.
Jackson, who began her undergraduate studies at Baylor University in 2020, said navigating college as a first-generation student during the pandemic meant “constantly relearning” how to succeed. She found support through the university’s First in Line Success Center, eventually serving as a Lead Ambassador for the program and helping others find their footing.
“That role really shaped me,” she said. “I talked about first-generation identity so much that it became second nature.”
As a Trailblazer Scholar in Baylor’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, Jackson also deepened her interest in how identity, resilience and social support influence academic success.
That passion now drives her graduate research in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication.
In 2024, Jackson began her master’s in communication studies at TCU, where she quickly noticed a shift in how first-generation identity is discussed, or more often, not discussed, at the graduate level.
“In undergrad, being first-gen is something people celebrate. There are offices, events and a community,” Jackson said. “But in grad school, that conversation almost disappears. People don’t say, ‘I’m a first-generation graduate student,’ even though it’s still a huge milestone.”
Jackson’s thesis, guided by her adviser Amorette Hinderaker, associate professor of communication studies and convener of debates, focuses on how first-generation graduate students navigate academia and construct meaning around their layered identity.
Logan Jackson, Graduate Communication Studies Student.
“First-generation graduate students aren’t widely studied,” Jackson said. “I wanted to understand how they experience higher education, especially as they move deeper into academic spaces where expectations increase and resources can feel more limited.”
For her research, Jackson conducted 23 in-depth interviews with first-generation graduate students and recent graduates across TCU. These qualitative interviews, each lasting about an hour, revealed powerful insights into shared challenges, particularly feelings of imposter syndrome, a fear of not belonging and hesitation in asking for help.
“It’s easy to think you’re the only one experiencing those feelings,” Jackson said. “I’m very independent. I’ll figure it out myself, but talking to others showed me we share so many of the same struggles. Sometimes just knowing you’re not alone makes a difference.”
Jackson’s research and experience contribute to the broader awareness and support of first-generation students on campus, especially as TCU joins other universities in celebrating First-Generation Student Day in November.
“It’s important to keep this conversation going beyond undergrad,” Jackson said. “Being first-generation doesn’t stop after you earn your bachelor’s. Every step forward is still a first for someone, and that deserves to be recognized.”