Pre-college characteristics and attributes coupled with collegiate academic and social experiences are believed to have considerable impact on student persistence (Astin, 1993; Tinto, 1993). First-generation college students enter higher education with background challenges that could lead them to leave college before completing their degree (Chen, 2005; Choy, 2001), and students who are first in their family to attend college are less likely than other students to persist and complete a degree (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004; Pike & Kuh, 2005). This basic qualitative study explored the out-of-classroom engagement experiences and the perceived impact of these experiences on the persistence of twelve first-generation college students at a 4-year comprehensive university in the Southeastern United States. Through individual and a focus group interviews, this study focused on out-of-classroom engagement experiences that included work, residence, athletics, clubs and organizations, and volunteer work. Astin’s (1991) I-E-O Model, a conceptual guide for analyzing college student development, was adapted as the conceptual framework for this study. Findings of this study indicate that out-of-classroom experiences such as living and working on campus, involvement in clubs and student organizations, and volunteer work, can have positive impact on first-generation student persistence. This research can inform practice of student affairs practitioners in engaging first-generation students in out-of-classroom experiences that were perceived by the participants as having positive impact on their persistence, and in identifying ways to increase persistence for a population that is historically disadvantaged and less likely to complete their degree. Keywords: First-Generation College Students; Engagement; Persistence; Out-of-Classroom;