Are you an Arizona faculty or staff member who is also a first-gen graduate? Let us know by filling out our faculty/staff form. We are actively trying to find and quantify how many first-gen grads we have on campus to demonstrate to our students how they, too, can become first-gen grads. If you fill out our form and provide your office location, we will deliver some First Cats swag (t-shirt, stickers, first-gen grad placard) directly to you. You can also choose to opt-in to our limited (we know your inbox is already full) faculty & staff messages about First Cats events or opportunities.
The First Cats First-Gen Intro Training is the first in a series of professional development trainings to provide faculty and staff with knowledge, tools and ideas for how they can center the experience of first-generation college students in their work. Often times, colleges and universities have implicit, or assumed, expectations of what a student should know and do. This can often create unnecessary challenges for first-generation college students who may not have family or friends to decode the student experience with them.
This workshop will provide faculty and staff with:
- context for understanding first-generation college students at the University of Arizona
- tools to make your classroom, program or office more first-gen friendly (which actually makes a welcoming environment for all students)
- research and practices that improve first-generation student success
- support for you in enhancing your work with first-generation college students
This is a FREE professional development opportunity provided by First Cats, and initiative within the Thrive Center. All participants will also receive an office placard to display their support for first-generation college students and a First Cats t-shirt (while supplies last).
Registration links can be found on our Professional Development Fridays page.
You may have a specific aspect of your work, program or practice that you wish to modify with an eye toward supporting first-gen students. We are happy to meet with you and/or your team to offer suggestions about how you can add an additional facet to your work by centering first-gen students. Simply email us at firstcats@arizona.edu to set a meeting.
The First-gen Advisory Board first met in January 2018. The group came together to centralize the discussion around first-gen students at the University of Arizona and to better understand how we can provide an intential approach to the support of our First Cats. This includes sharing resources and supporting one another in our work across campus. Our first-gen students are found in every facet of campus life, so it benefits us and the students when we come together.
Celebrate National First Gen Day with us! A toolkit was created by MarComm to commemorate the November 8th event. Everyone with a UA NetID is able to access the folder by logging in.