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Community College Month

April is Community College Month (#CCMonth) — a national opportunity to shine a spotlight on the vital role community and technical colleges play in powering America’s workforce, expanding economic mobility, and strengthening local communities, Lead annually by Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).

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Why FirstGen Forward Celebrates Community College Month

Community College Month is an opportunity to honor the vital role community colleges play in advancing educational equity—particularly for first-generation students who make up a significant portion of their enrollment. At FirstGen Forward, we celebrate this month because elevating the stories, achievements, and lived experiences of first-generation community college students creates a powerful ripple effect: strengthening confidence, fostering belonging, and inspiring persistence. By spotlighting their accomplishments and raising awareness of the unique challenges they navigate, we aim to uplift students, support institutions in their continuous improvement, and encourage deeper community engagement. Our campaign reflects a commitment to ensuring that first-generation learners not only feel seen during Community College Month but are supported and celebrated throughout their entire college journey. #CCMonth

Network Journey

We invite you to explore the three phases that make up the FirstGen Forward journey for an institution upon joining the Network. New institutions will begin in the Network Member phase before progressing through the journey to become a Network Champion!

Why Celebrate on November 8

FGCC is celebrated annually on November 8 to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”) of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act created federal financial aid programs to fund students’ educations and made key investments in colleges and universities. Many of the HEA’s programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, promote postsecondary access, retention, and completion for today’s limited-income, first-generation college students.

FGCC strives not only to celebrate first-gen students’ contributions to their communities but also to occasion systemic social change by dismantling barriers to first-generation student success. Through this intentional advocacy focus, FGCC engages key constituencies in building upon the work left unfinished by the HEA.

Click here to learn more about the HEA, the creation of Federal TRIO programs, and the history of the First-Generation College Celebration.

Plan Your Celebration

This year, we encourage you to celebrate the first-generation college student and graduate community in every way possible! From inviting speakers to hosting professional development events, the possibilities for celebration are endless.

Many single-day events have spawned month-long celebrations. Below, you'll find everything you need to begin planning your 2024 events.

Step-by-Step Planning Guide
101 Ways to Celebrate Blog
Design & Collateral Toolkit

Tag @COEtalk and @FirstGenForward and use the #CelebrateFirstGen when sharing your plans on social media!

Grant Opportunity

Each year, we’re pleased to award grants to NASPA- and COE-member institutions to aid them in reaching more first-generation college students or graduates; engaging more stakeholders; launching new first-gen-specific events or initiatives; and/or providing additional services around FGCC.

TRIO Program Resources

COE has created two resources to support TRIO fund recipients' First-Generation College Celebration participation. The first details relevant regulations and allowable cost categories, while the second shares tips for recognizing TRIO's 60th anniversary during your #CelebrateFirstGen events.

National Events

FGF and COE have co-hosted several national events highlighting different facets of the first-gen journey. In 2023, our event centered first-gen college students' career trajectories by featuring a panel of first-gen graduates who hold senior roles in some of the world's most recognizable companies.

Our Founders

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Did you know?

32.7%

of all public 2-year undergraduates are first-generation based on the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS).

First‑gen students use community colleges as a primary access point.

First‑gen students use community colleges as a primary access point. First‑generation applicants are more likely to enroll in two‑year programs, indicating community colleges are a critical gateway for first‑gen access.

About 48%

of working adults have attended a community college at some point in their lives, according to the Community College Research Center at Columbia University.

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First-generation Students in Community and Technical Colleges:

A National Exploration of Institutional Support Practices.

First-generation Students in Community and Technical Colleges: A National Exploration of Institutional Support Practices features the perspectives of administrators and student services practitioners who work daily to improve first-generation student outcomes, the voices of first-generation community and technical college students reflecting on their unique experiences, and analyses of the programs and approaches these institutions offer in support of first-generation student success.

Suggested citation: Mechur Karp, M., Cormier, M., Whitley, S. E., Umbarger-Wells, S. M., & Wesaw, A. (2020). First-generation students in community and technical colleges: A national exploration of institutional support practices. FirstGen Forward; NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

Network Community & Technical Colleges

Network Member

Aims Community College

Borough of Manhattan Community College

Carroll Community College

Cleveland State Community College

Coastal Bend College

Columbia State Community College

Community College of Aurora

Delaware County Community College

Delgado Community College

Des Moines Area Community College

Edmonds College

El Camino Community College

Gateway Technical College

Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Independence Community College

Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo

Kansas City Kansas Community College

Mercer County Community College

Middlesex College

Moberly Area Community College

Motlow State Community College

Nashville State Community College

Northeast State Community College

Northwest Arkansas Community College

Northwest Technical College

Pima Community College

Pitt Community College

Portland Community College

Saddleback College

Saint Cloud Technical & Community College

Salt Lake Community College

San Diego City College

Santa Fe College

Seminole State College of Florida

Southeast Technical College

Southwest Mississippi Community College

Tulsa Community College

University of South Carolina Union

Volunteer State Community College

Walters State Community College

Waukesha County Technical College


Network Leader

Chattanooga State Community College

Columbus State Community College

Dyersburg State Community College

Jackson State Community College

Pellissippi State Community College

Roane State Community College

Southwest Tennessee Community College

Network Champion

Arapahoe Community College

Cuyahoga Community College

Richard Bland College

Join the Celebration

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) has provided Community College Month Talking Points for Community College Advocates. Check out their resources here to join the celebration.

Community College Featured Blogs

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ETSU honors first-generation college students

East Tennessee State University

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Strength in Connection: WCTC’s Collaborative Approach to First-Gen Success

Waukesha County Technical College

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Celebrating Resilience and Leadership: Gateway Technical College's First in the Family Week

Gateway Technical College

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Unlocking First-Gen Student Success - The Power of Cross-Collaboration in the Cougar Connect Mentorship Program

Coastal Bend College

 

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In Full Bloom: Miami Dade College’s 2025 First-Generation College Celebration

Miami Dade College

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First Gen Week Celebration - Proud to be First

San Antonio College

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DSCC is building a community that supports and uplifts one another.

Dyersburg State Community College

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To be clear, I'm the First

Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College

Thank you for joining us!

Please reach out to info@firstgenforward.org with any questions.