The annual National First-Generation College Celebration is Nov. 8 and Loyola Marymount University will recognize and honor our vibrant first-generation population this month with educational and celebratory opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.
To kick things off, First To Go and the William H. Hannon Library are hosting a celebration to honor the La’Tonya Rease Miles Special Collection and community exhibit on Nov. 4. La’Tonya Rease Miles, Ph.D., established the First To Go program at LMU in 2010 to provide first-generation college students with valuable resources and opportunities for their academic, professional, and personal growth.
Since its inception, the First To Go office has supported hundreds of LMU students and has served as an integral community hub for first-generation students, staff, and faculty. “First To Go is what I live and breathe on a daily basis,” said program coordinator Alexia “Lexie” Pineda Soto. “I didn’t even know I was first-gen until my first day of orientation, which was also the first time I stepped foot on a college campus. LT [La’Tonya Rease Miles] scooped me up as her research assistant the second week of classes and I’ve been working with First To Go ever since.”
The festivities will continue Nov. 8 with #Celebrate National First-Gen Day, hosted by the newly established Ignacio Student Support Services, the McNair Scholars Program, Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science, and the First To Go Program. National First-Gen Day was first officially celebrated at LMU in 2021 and is an opportunity to recognize the hardworking first-generation students and the many campus partners who devote time, energy, and resources to create an equity-minded campus where students from all backgrounds may thrive.
More than 1,000 LMU students identify as first-generation college students, and the many resources and programs available to first-generation college students have afforded LMU a “First Gen Forward” designation by NASPA’s Center for First-Generation Student Success. In addition to the First To Go program, LMU TRIO programs including Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science, the Ignacio Student Support Services, the McNair Scholars, and other programs and initiatives support the diverse and engaged first-generation community at LMU and are collectively known as “First Gen LMU.”
LMU furthered its commitment to supporting first-gen students by establishing Ignacio Student Support Services, a TRIO Program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This program is designed to serve students from first-generation, financial need, and disability backgrounds who demonstrate strong academic potential.
“As a first-generation alumnus, I am well aware of the many challenges to be navigated on a university campus,” said José Badenes, S.J., associate provost for undergraduate education. “In my role, I therefore strive to guarantee support and continue to be attentive to issues around equity and inclusivity for all, particularly for underrepresented and first-generation students.”
Having recently been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education and the Lilly Endowment, First To Go is bolstering their career readiness resources with a series of learning collaboratives, online resources, and an e-book accompanied by on-demand videos. This project is part of an ongoing initiative to provide specialized resources for first-generation job seekers.
“Let’s take the opportunity this week to be grateful for our first-generation students and their families,” said Badenes. “As we listen to their stories, let us learn from them resilience and hope.”
