The first year of college can be a daunting experience, and that is especially true for first-generation students taking their first steps into higher education. But the College of Arts and Sciences is taking a bold step to help those students find their home at Ohio State.

Buckeye Opportunities for Leadership & Development (BOLD) is a program offered to first-generation, first-year students within the College of Arts and Sciences that gives students a network of support and leadership development by pairing them with a peer mentor.

“Our main focus for the program is making sure that not only are we supporting first-generation students, giving them a place on campus where they feel they have the space to talk about their experiences and some of the concerns that they have going into higher ed, but also pairing them up with resources,” program manager Aalyshia Williams said.

Once accepted into the program, students build bonds with their mentor and other first-generation students through weekly roundtables that help to support their transition to college. These gatherings — as well as an early arrival program for incoming freshmen — help to address problems first-generation students face such as financial concerns, imposter syndrome and finding a community, and provide them with university resources for academics, career success and mental health.

BOLD launched in 2022 and Jenna Wolfe, a senior majoring in neuroscience, has been there since the beginning, set to begin her third year as a mentor this fall. A first-generation student, Wolfe is using her experience at Ohio State to help inform and support incoming first-generation students.

“I was having a really hard time my freshman year,” she said, “so wanting to build a community with people who had a like trait with me was important, and also using the experience I had to better other students entering their freshman year was something that was really intriguing to me.”

Finding that community is among the biggest concerns for first-generation college students. Autumn Coulson, a second-year biology major who will be a mentor this fall after being a mentee, was concerned about the size of Ohio State’s campus when she arrived as a freshman. But she was able to make connections with students in similar situations and is now looking forward to helping incoming students forge those relationships.

“It gave me quick access to friends,” she said. “I still talk to a couple of the girls pretty regularly. Making friends in a big college setting is a little intimidating, so I was able to be in a smaller setting to make those connections quicker. I think it really aided with the social aspect and the social anxiety part of college.”

Julia Orban is also a second-year biology major who participated in BOLD as a mentee and is set to become a mentor this fall. There was no question she would return as a mentor after going through the program as a freshman, describing BOLD as a community and crediting it for helping her acclimate to Ohio State.

“It helped me transition to college in a way, knowing that I had people who were there for me and can help me on a deeper level. Being a first-generation student, my parents didn't go to college, so I didn't really have people in my home to ask for help if I needed help on an assignment or something that was challenging me,” she said.

No first-year experiences will be the same, but the common thread for students involved in BOLD is that it has set them up for success in their first years and beyond. Williams is impressed with how students have used opportunities the program has afforded them.

“We've seen them become ambassadors and get to see them interact with families and talk about their experience and share that with prospective students,” she said. “But also watching their friendships blossom and making sure that they're not feeling isolated around the university. It’s amazing to watch everyone progress.”