Framing “at risk” students: Struggles at the boundaries of access to higher education

•Universities accept students labeled “at risk” and then stigmatize them.•These “at risk” students must be expected to succeed.•Financial aid must be revisited so that finances are not a barrier to persistence.•Faculty must engage in conversations about race and place.•Because at “risk students” are a priority, the best teacher should instruct them.

Access to an education is a social justice issue that requires a new courageous commitment to identifying and eliminating barriers to college success. For first generation, low income and students of color, education is the one remaining single most powerful factor to bring about a different outcome for their lives. This article explores what we can learn from the experience of students at a regional public university designated “at risk” and how to reclaim the place of public college education as an equalizing force in our nation.