Celebration Day commemorates the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which promotes postsecondary access and completion for our nation’s more than eight million first-gen students.
In addition to recognizing first-gen students’ contributions to their colleges and communities, Celebration Day is an opportunity to renew our commitment to dismantling barriers to first-generation success. This intentional advocacy engages key constituencies in building upon the work left unfinished by the Higher Education Act.
Sharing support and celebrations shows your commitment to the #FirstGen movement and demonstrates your pride in the accomplishments of first-gen students and first-gen professionals.
Representing more than half of all college-going students, first-generation students become first-generation doctors, teachers, farmers, lawyers, and leaders, fueling the economy and the nation’s future. Now is the time to #CelebrateFirstGen!
Highlighting First-gen Professionals:
Nashya Poole, Graduate Assistant, Kent State University, shares that “Being a first-generation college graduate represents change and progress for both myself and my family. It means breaking barriers and setting a new standard for future generations.”
Tharangi Fernando, Peer Coach Manager at the University of South Carolina, shares advice: “Ask for help - that is how you will network and discover more about yourself and the world around you.”
Eric Morris, Success Advisor, Jackson State Community College, reflects on why “It is important to highlight first-gen students so that new and returning students can see that they are not alone, and so many of us, whether faculty, staff, or otherwise, are just like them.”
We also want to thank TIAA, which has helped make First-Generation College Celebration more than a day celebration, but a cornerstone of a movement. With support from TIAA and in collaboration with the Council for Opportunity in Education, we expanded the reach of the Grant Opportunity, equipping institutions with the resources they need to raise awareness, celebrate, and support first-generation students.
Please join us on November 8 as we celebrate the first-gen students who aspire to uplift our communities and transform our country. Please know FirstGen Forward remains ready to support your work, however possible in the months and years ahead.
With appreciation,
Stephanie J. Bannister, Ph.D.
President, FirstGenForward
You are receiving this email from FirstGen Forward because you have subscribed to the FirstGen Forward (formerly known as the Center for First-generation Student Success) newsletter. If you’d like to update your preferences or unsubscribe, please use the options below.
