UTSA kicks off annual celebration for first-generation Roadrunners

NOVEMBER 5, 2024 -UTSA is celebrating first-generation students, faculty, staff and alumni this week during its annual First-Gen Fest. The weeklong celebration is hosted by UTSA First-Generation & Transfer Student Programs (FGTSP) and will run through Friday, November 8. Now in its eighth year, the annual festival coincides with the nationwide First-Generation College Celebration Day, which takes place on November 8 each year.

In collaboration with units and colleges across UTSA, the FGTSP will host various events and activities throughout the week to support and celebrate the university's first-gen population. The lineup will include a speaker series, panel discussions and social events enabling first-gens to connect.

The First-Gen Celebration, the week's signature event, will feature keynote speaker Rey Saldaña. Saldaña is a first-generation American, first-generation college student and president and CEO of Communities in Schools, an organization that partners with schools across the nation to provide students with support and resources for success. The event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5 in the Denman Ballroom (SU 2.01.28) and will include food, games and giveaways.

First-generation students, or those who are the first in their families to graduate with a bachelor's degree, make up 44% of all UTSA undergraduates.

The FGTSP, which is part of UTSA Student Success, offers tailored resources and special events throughout the year to support the unique needs of first-gen students. These include the First-Generation Living Learning Community, where students live with other first-gen peers on campus, and the First to Go & Graduate Program (F2G&G), which promotes academic success, persistence and graduation through peer mentorship and personalized programming.