So 20 years ago when I was an undergrad
we didn't we didn't have a name for the
experience of being first in the family
to go to university. I started at
community college but university was a
real culture shock
it was incredibly stimulating and very
very lonely at the same time. So I had a
rough first semester like almost every
first-generation student that I've met.
There's something special about being
first that if you leverage it, sets you
up uniquely for success and so we're
holding up faculty as a model to
students to say we want you to be proud
of being first in the family that means
that you are driven you're ambitious
you're probably more resilient because
you got here. It's really
highlighting the things about being
first generation that are strengths and
by holding up faculty as models to those
students we are emphasizing that we
believe you're bringing strengths. You
may have some areas where you need your
roadmap and that's why we're here, right?
But we want to focus on the idea that
this is exciting. That you make our
University of a better place. Now it's a
UC system-wide initiative that focuses
on raising awareness of both the high
first-generation population amongst our
student body but also about raising
awareness of our faculty who were first in the family.
All 10 UC campuses have
united in a system-wide effort to
connect first-generation college
students with first-generation faculty
members who have walked in their shoes.
Close to 900 faculty members have
identified themselves as
first-generation and stepped forward to
participate in this mentorship effort. 42
percent of our undergraduates come from
families where neither parent went to
college and within six years of
graduating they're making more than
their total family income when they
enrolled at UC. Anyone who has been the
first to do something knows it can be
tough and it carries extra challenges. We
want to be sure these students know they
are not alone and that there is support
available like mentorship and academic
and financial advising to help them
succeed. Many of our faculty staff alumni
and leadership had
strength and drive to push past barriers
and blazed a trail for others. We
celebrate them along with all current
and future first-gen students.
