If You Stay Ready, You Don’t Have To Get Ready

Here at University of Southern California's (USC) First-Gen Plus Success Center (FG+SC), we aim to develop, equip, and prepare first-generation college students with the tools needed to efficiently and effectively navigate a college campus. Jose Gutierrez, Class of 2023, shares, “When I first started at USC, a huge gap existed between incoming students and the resources the institution offered. However, since the first-gen center opened in August of last year, I have found a second home where I feel supported and motivated to pursue my future goals”.

The Center is split up into two main spaces: one being a workspace area and the other a wellness lounge. Equipped with couches, study cubicles, conference rooms, and sleeping pods, the Center serves not only as a hub for productivity, but a safe-haven for students finding their way around campus while learning to find themselves. Not to mention the building is also home to embedded counselors who provide mental health support to students who identify with the four populations the FG+SC space supports. FG+SC also aims to help students find a sense of direction through inviting academically - esteemed individuals to offer their insight and perspective on what experiences a student may incur while working professionally.

The staff is composed of undergraduate and graduate students who contribute to the functioning of the space as well as its programming. Michelle Montenegro, Class of 2025, says, “While working for the FG+SC, I have learned how to apply my leadership and teamwork skills to strategic programming tasks rooted in community building. One of the social/wellness programs I created was Plantitas and Affirmations which consisted of repotting succulents and painting affirmations/quotes on the pots, all while creating genuine connections with my peers”. Some of the additional programs we’ve launched in the past have been: financial wellness workshops, pizza study nights, and programs encouraging self-reflection through journalism. These contributions as a collective have proven to play an integral role in developing lifelong tools as well as a sense of community amongst students.

Although the Center has been open for less than a year, its impact has gradually become evident. “It’s nothing short of amazing in terms of what the first-gen center has been able to accomplish. In order to impact the students at USC, you have to feel seen first on your campus before you can feel welcomed. FG+SC does that”, shared Micah Croom. The First Generation Plus Success Center aims to uplift and support marginalized groups by offering resources that will ultimately prepare them for the challenges they’ll face navigating the university. We help students stay ready, so they never have to get ready.