For some young people, it is almost a given that they will go on to study at university, e.g. if their parents did before them. Others find that their journey starts with a lot of unknowns, unanswered questions and the feeling of having to find their way all by themselves. People who are the first members of their household to go to university are often given less guidance and are required to go through the laborious process of developing structures and forming expectations of university life themselves. This is precisely where ELVIRA comes in. The new mentoring scheme specifically for first-time female academics in the University of Bonn’s Faculty of Arts is named after the archaeologist Elvira Fölzer, who in 1906 became the first woman to be awarded a doctorate from the faculty. 

Tackling a lack of role models and contacts within the family

The program was launched by Dr. Martina Pottek, Gender Equality Advisor in the Faculty of Arts. “We wanted to establish a support service tailored to women who are the first in their family to go to university, because they face particularly sizable obstacles at the start of their academic career. Sometimes, these also include the expectation that they should conform to certain roles because of their gender, an expectation that runs counter to what they themselves want as a prospective student. Only a handful of universities have so far set up services specifically for this target group.” Pottek stresses that, although first-generation female academics are a highly diverse group, each experiencing their own individual circumstances and with their own individual needs, they actually face similar challenges. “Women who are the first from their household to go to university often feel like they don’t belong there at first. They don’t have any role models and contacts in their own family who they could go to with their questions about studying or their degree program.” 

This is an all-too familiar feeling for Eda Keskin, who is studying English literatures and cultures at master’s level at the University of Bonn and took part in the nine-month ELVIRA program in 2025. “Neither of my parents went to uni. They’re both amazingly supportive of me, but I can’t talk to them if I have any problems with my studies.” Other ELVIRA participants were on hand to offer her help, e.g. with how to write a term paper. 

Besides the lack of guidance and people to turn to, psychological effects also play a role. “Many first-generation female academics suffer from self-doubt and impostor syndrome, i.e. the fear of being unmasked as a fraud, because they mainly put what they’ve achieved up to that point down to luck,” says Pottek, who herself was the first in her family to go to university. Money is another common barrier, with first-generation female academics much more likely than their peers to have to work to cover the cost of living, leaving them with less time and energy for studying. 

Workshops, peer meetings and small-group mentoring sessions

ELVIRA helps the women taking part to think about their strengths and chat openly with one another and thus improve their self-efficacy. Alongside workshops, e.g. on the specific resources that first-generation female academics bring to the table, and regular peer meetings among participants, another particular area of focus is small-group mentoring. This involves a mentor, who herself is a first-generation academic, meeting regularly with three or four participants face to face. “We deliberately chose this format, because the women on the program were very keen to meet others who were in the same boat,” Pottek explains. 

The mentors will always be one step further along their academic journey than their mentees, meaning that master’s students will look after bachelor’s students, for instance, and postdocs will take care of master’s students interested in doing a doctorate. This setup provides a safe space for participants to ask questions and compare their expectations and experiences with other people’s, thus making it easier to formulate ideas for planning the rest of their studies and career. “I’d say my mentor was the best thing about ELVIRA,” reveals Silke Cruse, who is studying for a master’s degree in Music in Bonn and took part in the scheme in 2025. “For example, I was able to pepper her with my questions about doing a doctorate.” However, her mentoring group also discussed topics such as dealing with stress at university and financial problems. The program confirmed Cruse’s belief that she is already on to a good thing. “I already have a lot of skills I wasn’t aware of,” she says succinctly. 

Keskin is also happy with her experience: “I was looking for people who had the same problems as me and found them on the ELVIRA program.” The dialogue and mutual support among the participants both helped and motivated her. “If you feel like you’re all alone and need some guidance, you should take part.”