This week, The University of Alabama is making an effort to recognize students who are the first in their families to attend college.

First Generation Scholar’s Week represents a series of events designed not only to celebrate the accomplishments of these students, but to also help make sure they are able to continue their education.

On Monday, the documentary “First Generation,” which details the struggles of these students, was shown at the Ferguson Center Theater. The film also served to show current students the success of those who faced similar circumstances in the past. At Sewell-Thomas Stadium Tuesday night, Alabama’s baseball team offered free tickets and meals to first generation students and their families for their game against Memphis.

Wednesday’s events will put an emphasis on helping current students balance their current lifestyles while working toward the future. Throughout the day, the Ferguson Center will host a resume rally as well as budgeting and financial aid workshops.

The resume rally will be from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in Room 330, while Room 300 will hold the financial aid workshop from noon to 1 p.m. and the budgeting workshop from 4-5 p.m.

While these events are focused on first generation students, anyone can attend, Kirk Walter, assistant director of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, said.

The resume rally will give students the chance to submit their own resumes to professionals for feedback before using them for potential job searches. The budgeting workshop will provide students with ways to help manage the expenses that come with a college education, while the financial aid workshop will help give students a better understanding of the financial aid process.

“The main purpose of this week is to highlight and provide information for them, since they do not have family members that know, and help them continue their education,” Walter said.

On Thursday, there will be an interviewing workshop for students to learn the basics of conducting an interview in Room 360 of the Ferguson Center from noon-1 p.m.

The week’s events will wrap up with a chance for students to hear from other first generation students. “Sharing Our Stories” will be held in Room 400 of Mary Hewell Alston Hall Thursday from 5-7 p.m. Several students and graduates will share the stories of their own personal experiences through college.

However, not all first generation students believe that being the first in their family is a huge hurdle to leap. Current SGA President Matt Calderone, who is a first generation student himself, doesn’t view it as a handicap.

“Although I was always aware that I was a first generation student, it was never something that I let define who I was. In all honesty, I didn’t really think much about it,”Calderone said. “The greatest challenge I faced was really just the simple ins and outs of graduation planning; I was unaware of exactly how credit hours worked. That is something that is common knowledge to most students, but something I had to learn after arriving at the University.”