In recognition of the National First-Generation College Celebration on Nov. 8, George Mason University celebrates the successes of its first-generation students and alumni.
Mason's First-Gen+ Center is hosting First Gen Week with virtual and in-person events and activities for students.
First-generation students are a big part of Mason’s community. Nearly 40% of Mason students identify as being the first in their families to attain a college degree. Of those, 33% are eligible for federal need-based Pell Grants, which is greater than the Virginia average.
Mason’s Early Identification Program, which provides access to educational resources for middle and high school students who will be the first in their families to attend a college or university, boasts more than 1,600 graduates and has 600 students currently enrolled at Mason.
When President Gregory Washington highlighted students during his Investiture address, he spoke about first-gen students in particular.
“We've always prided ourselves on putting students first, and they have truly shown us what they are made of,” Washington told an audience in EagleBank Arena. “Most of our students hail from historically disenfranchised communities—three out of 10 are first-generation. They have a vision for a better life for themselves, their families and their communities, and they are not strangers to adversity, occasional rejection, and hard work.”
Earlier this semester we asked Mason Nation on social media to share their first-generation stories, and they did.
Carter School graduate student Isidore Nsengiyumva, who is attending Mason online from Kenya, said the National First-Generation College Celebration serves a great reminder for him of everyone who has supported and sacrificed for him to get where he is today.
“It is also a good time for reflection on how far I have come and what it took for me to get here,” Nsengiyumva said. Read more about him here.
Many students and alumni talked about the importance of the Mason centers and resources in helping them feel like part of the community.
Mason alum Kareema Smith credits the Student Transition Empowerment Program (STEP) for having a huge impact of her academic life. She said she heard about the program at an admitted student event before she started at Mason.
“Thanks to STEP I was able to enter college with other first-generation students the summer before our first year began where we learned so much and established TRUE community,” said Smith, who earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in psychology from Mason. “At 18 years old, that program gave me the tools and confidence to become a leader on campus, to truly care more about the humanity of others and to think critically while challenging myself and my ideals.”
And Smith continues to pay it forward. From 2016 to 2019, Smith was the director of student success at Mason’s Honors College. She is now a career counselor at Auburn University, where she is pursuing a PhD in counseling psychology.
For alum Bianca Alba, who graduated with a BS in community health and a master of public health degree, Mason’s Early Identification Program was a portal of opportunity.
“Also, getting involved with my Latina sorority, Chi Upsilon Sigma, opened up network opportunities and provided me with women role models who had their life and careers set,” she said.
We also asked our first-gen students and alumni if they had advice for other first-gens.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself!” said Alba, who now works as a public health analyst Health Resources and Services Administration. “It is okay to fail, but just because you fail a class doesn’t make you a failure. I had to learn the hard way. Surround yourself with like-minded people, and remember self-care is also important.”
“Don't forget where you come from, be humble, and don't forget to thank those who helped you attend college,” advised Mason alum Thomas Oh, who has a bachelor’s in criminology, law and society and an MBA from Mason. “You can thank them by making sure you graduate and be the positive change that we need in our society. Lastly, don't forget to make lifelong friends. Together we can make our network stronger.”