At UW–Madison, being the first in your family to attend college is more than a personal achievement—it’s a legacy in the making. That’s why the university proudly celebrates National First-Generation Day, honoring the resilience and determination of students who are blazing new trails in higher education. The celebration begins on Thursday, November 6, with the …
The summer before her first year, Jocelyn Hernandez-Galan was already familiarizing herself with the bus route to campus. As a first-year, first-generation student who planned to commute from her home in Fitchburg, she would need to take the bus most days (unless her mom could spare the family car). Now in her first semester, Hernandez-Galan …
The application portal for the UW–Madison Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program) is open now through Tuesday, October 1. The program aims to increase the number of students from underrepresented segments of society who earn their PhD.
This August, UW–Madison was one of 80 universities selected to join the FirstGen Forward Network (formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success), based on the university’s demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation students. This commitment includes the 2023 launch of the First-Generation Badgers program. FirstGen Forward (FGF), offers a national model for scaling holistic first-generation student success …
Over 150 Badgers, along with their families and supporters, celebrated being the first in their families to graduate college during “Trailblazers of Tomorrow: A First-Gen Graduation Event.” The event featured remarks from Dean of Students Christina Olstad, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Fernie Rodriguez, and fellow 2024 first-gen graduates Meghan Keefe and Lynda Huang. …
On November 8, over 90 students, staff, and faculty gathered to celebrate National First-Generation College Celebration Day in the Fluno Center Skyview Room. As a fellow first-gen student, I was inspired by the support for this inaugural event, hosted by the new First-Generation Badger program. It was also evident that the newest wave of first-gen …
Nearly one in five undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison reports they are the first in their families to attend college. In an effort to better support first-generation students and provide them enhanced opportunities to connect, find resources, and build community on campus, today Student Affairs is announcing the launch of First-Generation Badgers.