First-Gen Force

One in seven undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington identifies as first-generation, which means they’re the first in their family to get a college degree in the United States. LATISHA CORPENING has made it her job to champion these first-gen UNCW students, guiding their path as they navigate the sometimes-unfamiliar world of higher education. 

 When Corpening became the assistant director of UNCW’s First Generation Programs in 2023, she was the first to hold the position. She comes to this role with firsthand personal experience, having been a first-generation college student herself when she studied psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

“I didn’t know I was first-gen (at the time) and had never heard that term before,” she says. 

Corpening says she did not take advantage of the full college experience at UNCC. “Growing up, college was always in the cards, and while I went to college and got my degree, I didn’t have as robust of a college experience as others,” she says. “I treated college as a job. I went to class and then I was back in my room. I didn’t see how extracurriculars could help me, and I didn’t reach out and utilize campus resources to make the most of my experience.” 

Corpening directs Seahawks First, which is housed in the office of Transition Programs and supports first-generation UNCW students as they navigate college life. Seahawks First offers a range of programs that are open to everyone but tailored to the specific needs of first-generation students, such as academic skills, financial literacy, off-campus housing, and financial aid. 

Corpening plans programming for first-gen students, including an upcoming program about meal prep and cooking, to help first-generation students with the transition of living off campus and learning how to cook for themselves. “My job is developing programs that support the transition of first-gen students to the university,” she says. 

First-generation students who get involved in programs like Seahawks First demonstrate earlier and more engagement with their university, Corpening says. They are better able to advocate for themselves, learn helpful university-related vocabulary, and they have increased self-advocacy and awareness.  

She also advocates on behalf of first-generation students. For example, she has led training sessions for faculty and staff to bring awareness to how to make the UNCW experience more accessible and inclusive for first-generation students. 

“I really enjoy helping these students and being someone that I wished I had but didn’t even know that I needed,” she says.  

According to research from the organization FirstGen Forward, first-generation college students are more likely to take longer to complete their degrees and graduate from college than their counterparts. “First-gen students sometimes come to college not knowing the jargon of higher education or how to navigate the system,” Corpening says. “What we are looking to do is remove the barriers to their success.” 

Corpening grew up in Delco, North Carolina, until she moved to Charlotte to attend college. After graduating, she worked in the mental health field, first in Raleigh, and then in Wilmington, where she worked as a licensed professional counselor at Coastal Horizons. 

Her work included providing trauma-response care in the hospital for sexual assault survivors and leading individual and group therapy sessions. She says that work felt like “the calm in the storm. In hospital response, you’re with someone in the worst moment of their life. So my role was to explain the process, tell them their rights, and be calm and reassuring.”  

After completing her master’s degree from Webster University, she began counseling individuals with substance abuse dependency in both individual and group settings. 

Corpening worked as a licensed professional counselor until she had her son in 2013, at which point she switched to higher education. She initially worked as new student orientation coordinator at Cape Fear Community College before joining UNCW as a student success advisor. 

In the fall, UNCW will launch the Seahawks First Learning Community, the university’s first living-learning community for first-generation students. The community will serve as a built-in support system for first-generation students transitioning to life at UNCW. Not only will participants live together in a close-knit community, but they will also take specialized fall and spring orientation courses as a cohort. 

“Living-learning communities that are tied to identities and majors have been shown to increase retention and build a sense of belonging while also reducing barriers,” Corpening said. She plans for the Seahawks First Learning Community participants to learn about the local Wilmington community and to complete a service-learning project together.  

“I enjoy creating a safe space for students,” she says. “I have students who will leave an academic advisor appointment confused and come to see me to get questions answered because they feel comfortable coming to me.”  

In May 2025, Corpening established the first pinning ceremony where graduating first-generation college students receive a lapel pin recognizing their accomplishment in front of family and friends.  

“I work to elevate the first-gen identity,” Corpening says. “I want students and their parents to celebrate the gravity of what they’ve accomplished.” 

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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