It’s a pleasure to share some of the goings-on at Brigham Young University – Idaho. We are in our second semester of affiliation with FirstGen Forward and have been busy building a firm foundation for the future. Four things came to mind when considering what to write about in this post: gratitude, allies, hope, and potential.
After our inaugural Celebration Day, one student shared the following sentiments: “Thank you so much for putting on this event. I feel like no one understands us on this campus and you just helped us build a community where we can be ourselves. This event also helped me really see how targeting specific groups helps them feel seen and like there is a place for them.” Our hearts broke and melted simultaneously.
Our personal interactions with this student at the event and subsequently really helped to underscore the importance of this work and increased our already high motivation! Another thing about this event that let us know we were filling an unmet need was the nature of the interactions between students in attendance. Even after the giveaways were given away, the remarks concluded, and the refreshments consumed, students pulled tables together and continued to visit with one another long past the planned conclusion of the event. We were thrilled!
So far, we are building allies a few individuals at a time. We have a handful of faculty who have already shown up to our major events and have engaged deeply and enthusiastically with students. They will become our ambassadors to reach a broader cross section of their colleagues. Beyond our core group, several administrative staff have expressed interest in first-generation initiatives and have begun asking questions not only about how they can help, but how they can utilize some of what we are doing to create a greater sense of belonging among all students. This notion that “a rising tide lifts all boats” is one of the things we learned about in program sessions and will surely help us garner additional support as our first-gen program evolves.
Like many of you, we love asking our students how they feel about being first-gen and have begun to compile quite a collection of responses. A few of their comments below express the hope they feel about their experiences and their futures.
“I'm improving myself and participating in a family legacy.”
“I am experiencing so much that didn't seem possible.”
“I want the future to be brighter for my kids.”
“It has taught me that I can do hard things.”
We realize that we have just begun to scratch the surface of providing enhanced levels of support and belonging for our first-generation students. We have a three-semester system at BYU-Idaho, so we have three opportunities this academic year to implement new programs and services. We are grateful for the additional time-on-task during this first cycle. It is impossible not to feel optimism about this work and we look forward to growing our program and its impact on our community!
Learn more about Brigham Young University – Idaho's first-generation student success work here.
