Celebrating the resilience and community of first-generation students

For many, going to college represents a major milestone - a chance to gain new knowledge, explore passions, and take the first steps toward a brighter future. But for first-generation college students, the journey to higher education can come with unique challenges as they navigate the complex process of applying, enrolling, and thriving on a college campus.

At Willamette University, first-generation students come to campus knowing they are not alone. In fact, more than 19% of current students report themselves as first-generation. Through peer mentorship and targeted programming, the university works to empower these scholars in recognition of the unique experiences they bring to campus.

In honor of First-Generation College Student Celebration Day on Nov. 8, Director of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion Juliane Corpus shares how Willamette University helps support and uplift our first-generation community.

What is National First-Generation College Student Celebration Day?

First-Generation College Student Celebration Day is a day to acknowledge the resilience, achievements, and groundbreaking spirit of students who are the first in their families to attend college or are not familiar with the U.S. higher education system.

Since the Council for Opportunity in Education and the Center for First-generation Student Success launched the inaugural celebration in 2017, hundreds of institutions have joined together in recognizing the achievements of the first generation college student (first-gen) community on and around Nov. 8.

Through this celebration, we aim to raise awareness about the experiences of first-generation college students, build a supportive community, and continue to create resources and policies that enhance their college experience.

What unique experiences do first-generation students bring to Willamette?

Our first-gen students bring resilience, curiosity, and community to campus. Research shows that a first-gen student's motivation to come to college stems from their support systems, teachers throughout their educational experience thus far, and self-motivation. They know how to approach challenges, they are asking questions to gather new information, and are able to trust and fall back on each other.

Our first-gen students have so much potential and we are so excited to help them catalyze, discover, and unlock it all.

How does Willamette support first-generation students?

There are many WU community members who identify as first-gen on our campus - more than you'd think! These folks are our network of support on campus and are resources for our first-gen students who can relate to their experiences. They're great listeners, sounding boards, storytellers, and guides to resources.

What kinds of programming do you have planned for first-generation students this year?

A number of staff, faculty, offices, and departments are welcoming and supportive of all first-gen students, but my office takes the lead in curating opportunities to ensure their success on campus.

Our mentorship program for first-gen college students, Mosaics, was designed by Willamette students with the intention to pair first-gen students with their peers. We've built on this program by expanding our mentor list to include staff and faculty, providing training and structured resources, and intentional ways to connect. We envision fostering our community through transformational moments.

As an extension to this program, Mosaics is now a themed community in Residence Life & Housing. This means that incoming first-year students were able to self-identify and opt into living with other first-year first-gen students. We've received so much positive feedback to this experience that we're excited to bring it back in future years with even more programming.

Is there anything else you would like us to know about first-generation students?

As an institution, I don't believe we should necessarily approach or think of our first-gen students through a deficit-framework. Our first-gen students come equipped with many strengths and unique qualities and experiences. We need to continue creating an environment that provides enough positive reinforcement and transferable skills so that they're set up for success both within their college experience and post-graduation.

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