The University held its first-ever week of celebration for first-gen students. Through the week of Nov. 6-11, community-based events took place to support and appreciate first-generation students. Randi Hamm, the first-generation program manager for the Capstone Center for Student Success, said that the week of celebration has been a work in progress for the past five months.
On Nov. 6 and 7, specific colleges held their own gatherings to recognize first-gen students on a more intimate level. An event on Nov. 8 called “Share Our Stories” allowed members of the first-gen community to share what their experience has been like as first-gen students. On Nov. 9, a game night was hosted, and on Nov. 11, first-gen students were encouraged to go to University Programs’ watch party for the Kentucky vs. Alabama football game.
Amber Abernathy, majoring in elementary education, and Ramsey Griggs, majoring in psychology and criminal justice, are both freshmen who attended the College of Arts and Sciences’ celebration.
“I think it’s very important to celebrate first-gens because it gives us a place to make conversations and be more in tuned with student life and help us along our journey,” Griggs said.
Abernathy said that it is important to have events like the one she attended to encourage first-gen students to come out of their shell.
“I’m hoping that this will get some good attention to where maybe some additional people or financial resources will come down the line and we can really blow this thing up and be something that first-gen students know to look forward to every single year,” Hamm said.
Hamm also said that first-gen students can look forward to learning more about an advisory board that is a part of Legacy Scholars, a program for first-generation students at the University. She said that the board is a meaningful way to help shape what the first-gen community looks like on the University’s campus. Applications will be due in March and interviews will be taking place in late March and early April.
In an Instagram post, the University said it wanted all its first-gen students to know they are celebrated and recognized every day.
