Indiana University Northwest’s seventh annual Fall Convocation will take place Thursday, Oct. 25, with a second day of academic programming continuing on Friday Oct. 26.

Friday, Oct. 26

Day two of the Convocation will center on the unique challenges faced by first-generation college students and how higher education administrators can better ensure their success.

At 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 26 in the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium, attendees will view the film, First Generation, produced and directed by Adam and Jaye Fenderson.

First Generation is the story of four teens with aspirations of breaking out of poverty and changing their families and communities by pursuing a college education. The 95-minute documentary features top education experts and explores the challenges faced by first generation and low-income college students as well as the implications their success has for the nation’s future.

Immediately following the film, at 11 a.m., Zebulun Davenport, Ed.D., Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis will lead a discussion and present his research on first-generation college students. Davenport is one of three co-authors of the book, First-Generation College Students: Understanding and Improving the Experience from Recruitment to Commencement.

The book offers insight into this often misunderstood group of students and offers practical advice about how universities can best help them succeed.

A book signing and reception will follow at 12 p.m. in the Savannah Center lobby. Copies of Davenport’s book will be available for purchase in the IU Northwest Bookstore.

Fall Convocation 2012 events are co-sponsored by the IU Northwest Office of Academic Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences and the Chancellor’s Office.

For information about parking at IU Northwest, including a new practice for issuing temporary visitors’ permits, please visit http://www.iun.edu/parking/.