UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will observe First-Generation Celebration Day at the University Park campus on Nov. 7 and 8, joining colleges and universities across the U.S. in recognizing students who are or will be the first in their family to earn a baccalaureate degree.
The Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success and the student organization First-Gen Advocates will hold events across two days to build community, raise awareness about the first-generation experience, and uplift the voices of first-gen students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Events
First-Gen Community Night, 6-8 p.m. Nov. 7, HUB-Robeson Center, Lion’s Lair
Join first-gen students, faculty, staff and alumni for a mixer with free food, networking, first-gen recognition awards and door prizes. Community Night attendees are encouraged to bring an item for the Lion's Pantry and to register here to save a spot at the event.
This year, the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success will recognize first-gen students, faculty and staff as trailblazers and champions during Community Night.
HUB Takeover, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 8, HUB-Robeson Center
Celebrate being #PSUFirstGen with food, activities, giveaways and prizes. There will be opportunities to meet members of the First-Gen Advocates student organization and the Eta Psi chapter of the Tri-Alpha honor society to find out how to support or join Penn State’s first-gen community.
Also on hand will be representatives from the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success, University Libraries, Career Services, the College of Education, the College of Health and Human Development, and the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center to share resources, events, and programs for first-gen students.
Tri-Alpha membership
The membership application for the Eta Psi chapter of Tri-Alpha opens on Nov. 8. Tri- Alpha is an honor society for first-gen students, with the Eta Psi chapter at the University Park campus inducting its first members earlier this year. Current members will be at the HUB Takeover to share information and answers questions. The application closes Feb. 7.
First-gen personal stories
Those who cannot attend the week’s events still have many ways to get involved in the first-gen community. One way is for first-generation students, staff, faculty and alumni to share their personal stories with the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success. These stories will be posted on the Center’s website and will help Penn State and other current students better understand the many types of first-generation journeys. Submit a story using this form.
About the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success
The Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success in Undergraduate Education provides completion support to all Penn State undergraduate students through the Complete Penn State scholarship program and targeted support to first-generation Penn State students through the First-Generation Celebration Day each fall, the First-Gen Student Support Summit each spring, and the work of the First-Gen Forward Advisory Council. Its offices are located in 325 Boucke Building.
About First-Gen Advocates
First-Gen Advocates is a Penn State student organization that offers professional and personal development, community building, leadership opportunities and social events to help first-generation students persist to graduation.