East Mississippi Community College's First-Generation College Celebration
November 8

2022 First-Generation College Celebration

The Office of Advising, Retention, and Student Success at East Mississippi Community College is excited to join colleges and universities nationwide by hosting its inaugural First-Generation College Celebration with virtual and campus activities. Events are planned to engage all students, faculty, staff, and administrators across the college. First-Generation College Celebration will kick-off with hosting a college-wide First-Gen logo design contest, College & University Transfer Fair, and "Pastries with the Advisors" pre-registration event on campus where advisors set up stations around campus to speak with students about registration for the upcoming spring 2023 semester. Our Lions L.E.A.D. peer mentoring program will host a virtual Career Day session on November 1 with an empowering speaker panel consisting of invited first-gen alumni from business, education, STEM, and career-technical careers. Members of the panel will speak about their post-graduate lives, perspectives about their own college experience, what motivated them to continue their education, and answer questions, A Kahoot game for all participants will follow the panel presentation.

As part of the celebration from November 2 - 7, students will be encouraged to stop by the student union on their campus to write an encouraging message on the bulletin board and post about their biggest supporters in attending college and why they choose to #celebratefirstgen. Ainsley Ash, a 2021 graduate of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and advocate and founder of the First Generation College Student Network-a student organization that is still thriving and supporting students today will be a guest speaker on campus on November 7. Activities during the week will feature prizes and various giveaways. To highlight the various campus events throughout the week and recognize National First-Generation College Celebration on November 8, social media posts will be made using hashtags #CelebrateFirstGen and #opportunityhappenshere.