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A day in the life of first-gen students

On Saturday, Oct. 5, 25 parents of first generations students of the Freshman Innovation Group (FIG) attended the new event, “Experience a Day in the Life of Your Student." 

 

On Saturday, Oct. 5, 25 parents of first generations students of the Freshman Innovation Group (FIG) attended the new event, “Experience a Day in the Life of Your Student.” 

First generation students are pioneer students whose parents did not graduate from a four-year institution and are breaking new ground in their families with their academic journeys. The FIG program provides an academic foundation around their lived experiences, as well as a community of student peers and faculty to help them hone their potential to succeed. 

The parents of the FIG students were able to attend two classes that day, one taught be sociology professor Tim Woods and another led by anthropology professor Catharina Laporte. The parents also heard from advisor of the Department of Hispanic Studies Zuleika Carrasco-Martinez, went on an interactive Evans Library tour hosted by Sarah LeMire, and heard from FIG Student Mentors Jacy Murdock and Addison Walker via video presentation.

The parents were delighted with the event, with one person commenting, “I want to go to every one of these professors’ lectures.”

Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Initiatives Leroy G. Dorsey headed up this innovative experience. 

“The goal of this event was not only to give first gen parents a better understanding of what their students do at a four-year academic institution, but to also give those parents an opportunity to have a shared experience with their students,” he said. “It’s a moment where they can empathize with their students activities because they had them too.”