First-Generation College Student Celebration Day is the anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It is an act by former president Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty and allowed more access to students for higher education.
UW celebrated by recognizing students through encouragement, mentoring, and fellow students and faculty members speaking about their experiences as first-generation students.
“It is a special day because it is a day to acknowledge that first-generation students are here and we want to encourage them that they can go to college and are capable of doing that,” Senior Rachel Tracy said.
Tracy is a first-gen student and the vice president of the Tri-Alpha Honor Society as well as a peer mentor to freshmen.
“When I first went to college, I didn’t know what the FAFSA was. I didn’t know what help was available to me. Oftentimes first-generation students feel like they don’t have a place here and that they are judged,” Tracy said.
The college application process is often unknown territory to first-generation students. It is difficult for these students to enter college without knowing what resources are available to them.
“Why I’m First” is a board of notes for first-generation students to offer support to other first-generation students. People had the opportunity to write a note of encouragement or why they are proud to be first-generation students.
“The board demonstrates what people have to say about being first-generation. Many people don’t realize how many first-generation college students are here. I think displaying a board like this shows a lot of people how proud people are to be a first generation student,” Tracy said.
Another event that Tracy ran was First-Gen Speed Mentoring. Speed mentoring is an opportunity to ask mentors for help with anything involving school life. Students are able to ask questions about grad school, scholarships, financial aid, time management, majors and minors, and anything else they may have questions about.
“People who have had parents go to college get the full rundown of what college is like. First-generation students may have not had an opportunity to hear how college works. We have mentors here to talk to them about what college life is really like,” Tracy said.
“That’s what acknowledging this day is about, is realizing that silly questions are not really silly and you have people from all stages of life here to talk to you about it and mentor you about whatever you need.”
Seth Swanner is an assistant lecturer at UW and part of the LeaRN program. Swanner is a huge supporter of first-gen student success.
“I was a first generation college student myself, but I had no idea what that meant, until I was in my master’s program. It was much too late for me to take advantage of the entire support systems that my college had because I didn’t know that there was even a category for first-generation students,” Swanner said.
“Around 40% of every incoming class is first-gen. Some of these students don’t know that they are first-gen students. They don’t know that this can actually help them that they’re bringing perspectives and experiences to college.”
The celebration of first-gen students is important as it shows that there is a strong community here to support them. New first-gen students have the opportunity to hear about experiences from other first-gen students, and learn about all the opportunities and experiences that they can have while in college.
