UIW Celebrates the Journeys and Stories of First-Gen Students
In 2017, the inaugural First-Generation Celebration was hosted by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and FirstGen Forward (FGF, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success) in an effort to “raise awareness of the first-generation college student identity” (firstgenforward.org). Since then, other institutions across the country have joined the celebration, uplifting their own first-generation students as they strive to be the first in their families to complete a four-year college or university degree.
This week, the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) hosted First-Generation Celebration Week on the Broadway campus. Various events were hosted throughout the week that welcomed first-generation students to share their stories, ambitions and progress on their respective academic paths.
"Every day our faculty and staff dedicate their work, with innovation and compassion, to creating pathways for first-generation students to thrive. We do this because we know this is an investment in the transformation of our community. Our first-gen students are future leaders, people who will uplift families, strengthen neighborhoods and inspire others to pursue their dreams. Their success is our shared success," said Eva M. Fernández, PhD, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
On the evening of Monday, Nov. 3, a coffee house open mic event was hosted in the Joeris Ballroom. Students were invited to showcase their artistic talents by sharing songs, poems, paintings and stories related to their University journeys. First-gen Cardinals shared their own unique artistic expressions and were joined by San Antonio’s Poet Laurette Eddie Vega.
The fun continued on Tuesday, Nov. 4 for a special screening showcasing digital storytelling projects created by UIW’s first-generation student leaders. Through the event, the voices of students were uplifted, celebrated and showcased as students shared original short films that explored heritage, resilience and courage.
The week’s celebration concluded on Wednesday, Nov. 5 with a First-Generation Celebration on Dubuis Lawn. Over 200 attendees gathered to enjoy food, music and learn about helpful campus resources. Thank you to the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability for cooking! It was a beautiful day of celebration that allowed students to meet other members of the UIW first-gen community. From students to faculty, the presence and influence of first-gen Cardinals was prominent.
“This week, universities and colleges celebrated National First-Generation Celebration College Week, marking the anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965, a landmark commitment to expanding access to higher education for students of all backgrounds,” said Shandra Esparza chair of the First-Generation Committee. “This is the 4th year that UIW has participated in the celebration, and the first year we expanded from one celebration event to three days of events honoring and celebrating our First Generation students. Overall, the response was outstanding, and our committee will be planning for even more events next year to celebrate our 5th anniversary of celebration!”