Prior research suggests that first-generation college students are less likely to succeed compared to their non-first-generation peers (Engle & Tinto, 2008; Gibbons et al., 2019; Pascarella et al., 2004; Spiegler & Bednarek, 2013). Further, when faced with crisis, students may experience psychological, financial, or other related distress that may prevent persistence (Beggan, 2011; Davis et al., 2010). In March of 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. This triggered schools, including institutions of higher education, to discontinue normal operations, particularly transitioning in-person classes to online instruction to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (Ali, 2020; Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020; Chowell & Mizumoto, 2020; Kennedy, 2020; Zdziarski et al., 2020; Zhai & Du, 2020). Utilizing the theory of student departure (Tinto, 1975, 1993) as a framework, this study explores the impact of COVID-19 on first-generation college students' academic and social experiences and how 12 students persisted during the pandemic despite many challenges. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]