Investment into Impact: Calculating and Communicating ROI for First-Generation Student Initiatives

Martina Martin serves as director of expert guidance with the Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation. Prior to joining NASPA, Martina served as associate director for the University of Kentucky’s student community resources and services and as the program director for first-generation student services and off-campus student services. For over a decade, Martina assisted in developing university-wide first-generation initiatives focused on recruitment, retention, and career and professional development.

Martina is a proud first-generation college graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where she earned a B.S. in physical education, an M.S. in physical education-sports administration, an M.A. in human services-student personnel services in higher education, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies. Martina resides in Georgetown, Kentucky with her husband, Ricky Stone, Jr.

Ashlee Kocina Young serves as associate director for Expert Guidance with FirstGen Forward. Prior to joining FGF, Ashlee held a dual-appointment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As the Assistant Director of the William H. Thompson Scholars Learning Community, a large, comprehensive college transition program for recipients of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Scholarship, Ashlee was responsible for community engagement programming and assessment. In her role as the Coordinator for First Generation Nebraska, Ashlee co-managed university-wide first-generation initiatives and served as the primary contact with Nebraska’s involvement as an inaugural First-gen Forward Institution, and in an advisory capacity. A first-generation college graduate, Ashlee holds an M.Ed. in higher education administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is currently working on completing a Ph.D. in leadership studies, with a focus on multicultural leadership perspectives and baccalaureate first-generation leadership development at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Wendy Beesley serves as the director for Expert Guidance with FirstGen Forward. Prior to joining FGF, Wendy was the assistant dean for student success at SUNY Ulster County Community College. She was also a member of the coaching leadership team and served as lead coach for the State University of New York’s Guided Pathways project, where she worked with SUNY colleges engaging in the work of institutional transformation. In addition, Wendy worked with the New York Student Success Center (NYSSSC) to develop and deliver training opportunities through the NYSSSC Coaching Academy. Wendy holds an M.P.A and a B.A in political science from Marist College. She is currently completing a Ph.D. at the University at Albany–The State University of New York in educational policy and leadership with a focus on the progression of institutional change theory.