University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's First-Generation College Celebration
November 8
2020 First-Generation College Celebration
Though this year's celebration must be virtual due to COVID-19, Carolina F1RSTS and Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS are excited to kick off the 2020 celebration on November 5th with the inaugural induction ceremony for the University of North Carolina at Chape Hill (UNC)'s chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha (or Tri-Alpha), a national honor society for first-generation college students.
On November 6th, a panel of UNC faculty will share personal stories about their first-generation college and graduate school experiences, as well as why they've chosen to focus on first-generation college students in their academic research.
On the actual Celebration Day, November 8th, the undergraduate First-generation Student Association will host a virtual games social with fabulous prizes for the first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
Finally, on November 9th, staff from Counseling and Psychological Services will offer a “Home for the Holidays: Navigating Family Boundaries as a First-gen Student” discussion. This popular skills-based workshop will be especially important this year, since going home or currently being home while being a first-gen student may look very different because of COVID-19.
2019 First-Generation College Celebration
Carolina F1RSTS and Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS held a two-day event celebrating first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
On November 7, a "Home for the Holidays" skills workshop on navigating discussions and dynamics when returning home after being away in college/graduate school, or what it's like if you're not able to go home, kicked off the celebration. This workshop was led by counselors who co-facilitate the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) First-in-the-family Group.
On November 8, the midday Pit tabling event took place as a campus outreach to celebrate first-generation students with new co-sponsorship by Student Life & Leadership. In the evening, a showing of "Unlikely" (the documentary), followed by a facilitated discussion led by a few first-generation student leaders, was part of the weekly Friday Carolina Union Activities Board-sponsored films in the Carolina Student Union open to all students.
For the latest updates on this celebration, follow UNC Diversity & Student Success (@uncdss) on Twitter and UNC's First Generation Student Association (@uncfirstgens) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
