Goodwin University Earns FirstGen Forward Designation and Launches First-Gen Collective for Student Support

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodwin University is proud to announce its selection to the FirstGen Forward Class of 2026 and is now set to launch its own initiative, the First-Gen Collective.

Goodwin's designation as a FirstGen Forward university reflects the institution's ongoing commitment to supporting first-generation learners. During the 2025-2026 academic year, first-generation students accounted for 61% of the University's student population. This year, the University also launched the First-Gen Collective, an institutional initiative focused on creating experiences and sharing stories that promote the success, inclusion, and visibility of first-generation students and graduates.

"We are honored to be awarded recognition by the FirstGen Forward Network," said Goodwin University Founder and President Mark E. Scheinberg. "First-generation students shape our community with their resilience, ambition, and dedication to breaking barriers. As an institution that proudly serves nontraditional learners, our first-generation students and alumni demonstrate our mission in action."

Many first-generation students navigate unique challenges as they pursue higher education, including limited access to family experience and guidance related to college. Recognizing and elevating their experiences is essential to fostering inclusive campus communities and advancing student success.

Founded by The Suder Foundation and NASPA, FirstGen Forward is a leading source for promoting first-generation student outcomes through research, evidence-based practices, data-informed strategies, and professional development opportunities. Goodwin's induction into the FirstGen Forward Network places the University among 470 institutions nationwide to receive this honor.

"We are excited to welcome Goodwin University to the FirstGen Forward Network," said Martina A. Martin, vice president at FirstGen Forward. "Throughout the application process, Goodwin University demonstrated a clear commitment to advancing success for first-generation students — backed by a willingness to align strategy, data, and campus-wide efforts for long-term impact. Their leadership reflects a meaningful investment in creating the conditions where first-generation students can thrive."

As a newly inducted member of the FirstGen Forward Network, Goodwin will join a national community of institutions committed to advancing first-generation student success. Through continued collaboration and campus-wide initiatives like the First-Gen collective, the University will build upon its longstanding commitment to empowering first-generation students and helping them achieve their educational and professional goals.

To learn more about Goodwin University, visit goodwin.edu. For more information about FirstGen Forward, visit firstgenforward.org.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Peter Decoteau

Director of Marketing and Communications

Goodwin University

Email: PDecoteau@goodwin.edu

Phone: 860-913-2150

About FirstGen Forward

FirstGen Forward is the center for first-generation student success– your premier source for evidence-based approaches, data-informed strategies, professional development, and research. Together, we are building community and belonging through the FirstGen Forward Network, knowledge creation and evidence-based practices, and thought leadership and advocacy, transforming higher education and the student success landscape guided by a first-gen lens.

About Goodwin University

Goodwin University in East Hartford, Connecticut, is an innovative learning community that empowers hard-working students to become sought-after employees. We tailor our programs to address the needs of employers, and we shape them to fit the lives of students. Classes are conveniently offered year-round — days, evenings, weekends, and online. Degrees may be flexibly layered across certificate, associate, bachelor's, and master's programs in a variety of in-demand fields. Better still, we surround our students with the personal support and the professional guidance they need — not just to earn degrees, but to change lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. For more information, please visit www.goodwin.edu.

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