Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's First-Generation College Celebration
November 8
2020 First-Generation College Celebration
The First-Generation National Day celebration Committee, a sub-committee of the First-Generation Committee, invited the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) community to observe National First-Generation College Celebration Day.
GCSOM started the celebration with students, faculty, and staff getting an opportunity to take a selfie at a selfie-station located in the lobby. On the windows near the selfie station were biographies of famous first-gens! The selfie station was available Wednesday, November 4 to Friday, November 6, 2020. Also, near the selfie station were copies of the GCSOM 2020 First-Generation Guidebook with all of the first-generation resources, etc. If they were not in the building, people were able take a selfie at home displaying the hashtag #IamFirst.
On Monday, November 9, 2020 GCSOM hosted a watch party with the first-generation documentary A Walk in My Shoes. All participants needed to RSVP to receive a first-generation viewing treat bag (including some first-generation swag) and link to the watch party.
2019 First-Generation College Celebration
To kick off the 2019 First-Generation College Celebration, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s (GCSOM) First-Generation National Day of Celebration planning subcommittee executed the following initiatives:
- Kicked off the week with our annual First-generation Meet and Greet to welcome our incoming first-generation students and have them get to know current first-generation students, faculty, staff, and allies by playing a game of Human Bingo with gift card prizes for those able to achieve BINGO. Any first-generation students interested were also invited to share their story at the Meet and Greet event.
- Distributed GCSOM Bookmarks defining first-generation students, and for students to have as a keepsake
- Continued to stock our student food pantry to address food insecurity
- Hosted a week-long on-campus Scavenger Hunt and raffled off prizes to the first 10 students who completed the hunt
- Welcomed first-generation students, faculty, and staff to write their stories, including first-generation allies, to write why they support first-generation students in a blurb box. Blurbs were posted at the First-Generation National Day of Celebration finale along with a slide show with pictures of past GCSOM first-generation events
- Distributed GCSOM First-Generation Ally and GCSOM First-Generation Mentor stickers in an effort to grow awareness across GCSOM community
- Distributed copies of the First-Generation Guidebook. The Guidebook includes a personal letter from the senior leadership of the medical school to first-generation students and a list of faculty and staff allies; resource point-persons and mentors; pictures and biographies of well-known first-generation college graduates; discounts for local stores, shops, restaurants; and inspirational and supportive and encouraging quotes.
For the latest updates on this celebration, follow @geisingercommonwealth on Instagram and use #IamFirst to show your support!
