ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the experiences of Pacific Island students who are first in their families to attend a research-intensive university in New Zealand. The term Pacific Island is used to define a very diverse group, which includes people from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, Fiji, and other Pacific nations. First in the Family students are essentially leaders in their families and communities. They are students whose parents did not attend higher education institutions. Despite what the literature says about FIF students in higher education, they are role models and pioneers within their own families and communities. Students who are first in their families to attend university make up a large proportion of the student population in higher education. Early literature has referred to these individuals as first-generation students. Benseman, Coxon, Henderson, and Anae, and local colleagues have referred to this group of students as nontraditional students, while others refer to as FIFU or first in family to attend university.
