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In November 2025, Miami Dade College (MDC) proudly celebrated First-Generation College Celebration Week with coordinated events across all eight campuses, bringing students, faculty, staff, and community partners together to honor the resilience, stories, and achievements of first-generation college students. Building on prior years—Planting a Seed (2023) and Sprouting and Branching Out (2024)—this year’s theme, In Full Bloom, emphasized growth, connection, and access as pathways to student success.
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More than half of MDC’s students identify as first-generation, and the 2025 celebration was designed to move beyond a single campus or event. Instead, the week unfolded as a collegewide movement, offering shared experiences and campus-based programming that reflected MDC’s diverse communities. To unify the celebration, Learning Resources created a custom First-Generation logo inspired by the theme. Used across flyers, digital signage, social media, and event materials, it symbolized growth, care, and collective support.
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The week began with a Collegewide Kickoff, where students explored academic support tools and creative spaces, including makerspaces, virtual reality, podcast studios, and learning labs. Students connected directly with tutors, librarians, and support teams while a student–faculty podcast dialogue highlighted shared first-generation journeys.
As the week progressed, programming focused on skill-building and self-reflection opportunities designed to support students’ academic, financial, and personal growth. The “Financial Literacy with an AI Twist” workshop introduced innovative ways artificial intelligence can support budgeting, planning, and future-ready career thinking. A “Scholarship and Transfer Essay” workshop in partnership with Advisement and Financial Aid provided guidance on identifying opportunities and crafting authentic first-generation narratives. Complementing these sessions, the Graphic Novel Club hosted “POW! BOOM! BLOOM!: Awakening Our First-Gen Superpowers,” a dynamic panel that reframed first-generation experiences as sources of strength through storytelling and visual art.
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Adding a powerful visual dimension, Honors College student Cristina Pernas created a large-scale installation titled “Roots of Resilience.” Using natural materials, the piece symbolizes strength, perseverance, and growth, reflecting the balance of vulnerability and resilience found in many first-generation journeys. The installation became a central point of reflection for students, faculty, and staff throughout the week.
Across campuses, students were positioned not just as participants but as storytellers and ambassadors. Through workshops, podcasting, and peer engagement, they strengthened skills in communication, self-advocacy, and leadership. As a pre-nursing student, Evenica Cator reflected, “The First Bloom Festival made me feel proud to be a first-generation student. It reinforced the idea that we are not alone in this journey, and that support is available every step of the way.”
MDC’s 2025 celebration demonstrated the college’s commitment to access, belonging, and student success. To extend the impact, Learning Resources developed a First-Generation Celebration LibGuide a central location for event information, resources, and photos that capture the collective pride of In Full Bloom. Reflecting on the initiative, Jennifer Diptee-Martos, Campus Director of Learning Resources at the Kendall Campus, shared, “Over three years, this celebration has grown from a single seed into a collegewide movement that connects first-generation students to resources, to one another, and to a community that supports them.”
For more information on Miami Dade's approach, please visit their website: https://www.mdc.edu/learning-resources/.
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