The series tells the story of five first-generation college students as they embark on a journey with tremendous stakes, told with their words.

• First Year, First-Generation: Introducing a New Project
• First Year, First Generation: Consider the Placement Test
• ‘Traumatized with Good Habits’: Delaware’s Bold Experiment to Aid At-Risk Students
• First Year, First Generation: Going Home

Comments from the Judges:

“This is an outstanding project. The reporting that backs each episode is solid, with the online written story complementing the audio segment. But the students make this work. Their voices, and those of the people with whom they interact are its heart.”

“This is a well-thought-out and well-executed series. The writing is strong, the characters are engaging. The audio diaries add to the storytelling, both in the radio pieces and on the website. All four of the stories were thought-provoking, but the placement tests story really resonated. It captured very effectively how the tests can set vulnerable students back right from the beginning, and how those little setbacks can chip away at their confidence. The reporter also did a nice job of weaving information and context throughout the stories and he was judicious in his use of experts. All in all, I found this series both enjoyable to listen to and a valuable resource in understanding this issue.”