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At North Carolina Central University (NCCU), first-generation students are not an afterthought. They are central to who we are and how we operate as an institution. With more than 38% of our undergraduate students identifying as first-generation, our responsibility extends beyond access alone; it requires intentional structures that foster belonging, persistence, and long-term success.
This commitment was on full display during First-Gen Week 2025, held November 6–14, under the theme “Leading the Legacy: From First to Finish.” The week served as both a celebration of first-generation excellence and a tangible demonstration of how coordinated, campus-wide engagement can translate values into action.
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“First-Gen Week is more than a celebration. It is a recognition of the perseverance of our students and families, and a reaffirmation of NCCU’s responsibility to ensure students succeed from the moment they step on campus through graduation and beyond,” shared Dekendrick G. Murray, executive director of Student Access and Success Programs.
Rather than centering a single event, NCCU designed First-Gen Week as a sequenced experience; one that met students at different points in their journeys while reinforcing consistent messages of support, opportunity, and community. Events ranged from academic and career readiness programming to moments of joy, reflection, and visibility. Highlights included graduate school preparation sessions, FAFSA and scholarship application support, TRIO program orientation and inductions, creative expression through student-led programming, and enrichment opportunities such as a graduate school exploration.
Importantly, these efforts were not siloed. First-Gen Week was hosted through a collaborative partnership between the Department of Student Access and Success Programs, the University First-Gen Student Success Steering Committee, the First-Gen Student Advisory Council, and campus partners across multiple divisions. This shared ownership reinforces a core belief at NCCU: first-generation student success is not the responsibility of one office—it is a collective institutional commitment.
That commitment also includes honoring those who make this work visible and sustainable. During the First-Gen Champions Breakfast, NCCU recognized 11 faculty, staff, and students whose leadership, mentorship, and advocacy continue to open doors for first-generation Eagles. Their work reflects the power of relational support and the importance of representation in helping students see themselves as capable, valued contributors to the campus community.
Jalen Spooner, director of the Men’s Achievement Center and co-chair of the University First-Gen Steering Committee said: “The holistic approach and collective ownership embraced by North Carolina Central University create an environment that doesn’t just welcome first-generation students, but actively champions them.”
NCCU’s approach aligns with our identity as the only historically Black college or university recognized as a FirstGen Forward Network Champion. It also reflects a broader lesson for institutions engaged in first-generation student success work: meaningful impact happens when programs, people, and purpose are aligned.
First-Gen Week is not an endpoint for us but a reflection point. It challenges us to continue building systems that honor first-generation students’ strengths, lived experiences, and aspirations year-round. When institutions move beyond awareness to action, celebration becomes strategy and legacy becomes something students are empowered to lead.
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