As a first-generation college student, Ricquel Archer learned early that getting into college is only half the journey. Through lived experience and years working with young people at the Boys & Girls Club, she saw the same pattern play out again and again: first-generation students celebrated when they earned college admission, yet few received the sustained support and skill-building needed to persist,graduate, and launch confidently into careers.
That realization became her motivation for starting Create + Collaborate, a nonprofit that recently celebrated five years of equipping first-generation college students in Fort Worth with the mentorship, leadership training, and wrap-around support they need to thrive. The Rainwater Charitable Foundation is proud to celebrate this milestone and spotlight the crucial gap this organization fills for our region’s students.
Approximately 40% of undergraduate students are first- generation[1]. Many of them face barriers that their legacy peers do not. Within six years, about 69% of first-generation students earn an undergraduate degree, compared to 86% of their peers[2]. The stark gap in these numbers has a dramatic impact on first- generation students– lower economic earnings, difficulty in career advancement, and a higher risk of poverty.
These challenges are not a reflection of talent or academic ability but the absence of networks, guidance, and institutional know-how. Many college-access programs stop at high school graduation. But for many first-generation students, the real work begins the moment they step on campus. While some colleges have first-gen success centers, many do not have support specifically tailored to these students. Even those campuses that do may struggle to provide consistent, culturally responsive support. That’s where Create + Collaborate steps in.
How Create + Collaborate Delivers for First-generation College Students
Create + Collaborate’s mission focuses on preparing first-generation students before, during, and beyond their transition to college. Students are matched with mentors who help them navigate admissions, financial aid, campus life, and the challenges that often derail persistence. These mentors work to ensure they are there for students whenever and however they might need them.
Additionally, the organization’s programming builds identity, confidence, professional readiness, communication, and community engagement. These “future-self” skills are the ones that keep students anchored when college becomes overwhelming.
The Create + Collaborate team also helps students through partnerships with companies like IKEA to furnish students’ dorm rooms and connect students with resources. In this way, the organization removes both practical and emotional barriers, including imposter syndrome, which can make the difference between staying in school and stepping away.
The Data Demonstrates What’s Possible
Create + Collaborate has deeply invested in 128 students over the last five years. Their model emphasizes quality, trust, and long-term mentorship rather than high-volume, shallow engagement. 78% of these students come from families with a household income under $51,000. 43% of these students come from households with incomes less than $31,000.
All Create + Collaborate students are persisting through college or have graduated to pursue a career in fields such as accounting, engineering, linguistics, and education.
This level of persistence far exceeds national averages and offers compelling proof: in addition to financial supports, consistent and intentional investment in first-generation students leads to meaningfully higher chances of higher education completion.
Create + Collaborate embodies an organization with strong, mission-driven leadership rooted in lived experience, a targeted strategy that addresses a clear challenge, a collaborative model, and a culture that celebrates authenticity, belonging and future-ready skills. Their work aligns deeply with our vision for a region where all students regardless of zip code or background have clear paths to opportunity and upward mobility.
We celebrate the work of Create and Collaborate and encourage you to check out the organization’s website to learn more.
[1] https://www.firstgenforward.org/our-insights
[2] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/retention/2025/10/02/contextualizing-completion-gaps-first-gen-students#:~:text=Over%20all%2C%20%E2%80%9Cwe%20are%20really,of%20their%20continuing%2Dgeneration%20counterparts.
