While First-Gen Week started Nov. 1, the main encore of events have now made their way to Suffolk University students. This past week has been filled with panels, new program announcements and plenty of fun events for students to fully immerse themselves in First-Gen Week.
On Nov. 4, along with a breakfast event in the morning, Suffolk hosted a showing of “First Voice Generation,” a film that follows three first-generation students as they navigate college and the surrounding challenges that are unique to first-generation students with the additional mess of a pandemic.
Filmmaker Cynthia Martinez and one of the involved students, Gael Figueroa Enriquez, participated in a panel following the showing. They were asked questions about the filming process, where the inspiration for the film came from and how the film continues to resonate with viewers. Martinez and Figueroa-Enriquez’s pride for this film is still shining bright nearly two years after the initial release.
Additionally, Lisa Rivera, the director of the First-Gen Center, revealed that a new program would be appearing on the Suffolk campus in spring 2025. It is called the Suffolk One Graduate Boot Camp, which will be a six week program that will cover all things to do with graduate school.
This will mark the fourth TRIO program that will be housed at Suffolk.
Nov. 7 brought around a panel about studying abroad and the Tri-Alpha Induction Ceremony. “Exploring the World: First-Gen Study Abroad & Funding Opportunities” was a discussion in which Connect the Dots, a mentorship program under the Division of Student Success, outlined what studying abroad would look like for first-generation students. They also had two students who went through the program to speak on their own personal experiences and how studying abroad looked for them.
The discussion was extremely in-depth, confidently giving estimates of the expected price to study abroad along with a long list of scholarships that can help make these students’ dreams a reality. Connect the Dots eased a lot of common concerns, like how to explain the benefits to their parents or how the process will look.
The week ended the same way it began; with a confetti-filled bang. In addition to being the last day of First Gen Week Nov. 8, marked the 60th anniversary of TRIO. To celebrate its diamond anniversary, the Center for First-Generation & Educational Equity hosted a trivia game and a dance.
The trivia game was both entertaining and educational for students. As with most of the events this week, there were pieces of history about first-generation students and TRIO scattered around. In between the rounds of trivia, there were educational videos that showed the students how these centers came to be and how important being a first-generation student is.
To draw the curtains closed on the week of festivities, a dance was held in Sargent Hall. Not only were Suffolk students and staff invited, but also high school students who are a part of the Upward Bound program, which is the section of TRIO which provides help to first-generation high school students with college, and those faculty.
Even with little bits of history scattered around to honor all 60 years in which TRIO has been operating, the event was undeniably for the students. For the Center for First-Generation & Educational Equity, all of it will always be for the students and they know.
Jade Buchanan is a sociology major and a junior at Suffolk. She is a first-generation student and has been a part of the McNair Scholar Program through the Center for First-Generation & Educational Equity for nearly two years. She felt honored to have a whole week set aside for first-generation students, as they historically are not recognized for their accomplishments.
“It’s hard to be the first person in your family,” said Buchanan, “So being able to have that recognition and that support is super important and I’ve really appreciated it.”
As the week came to a close, ending with loud music and surrounded by cheerful people, it was more than a little bittersweet. Following the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, there had been a noticeable shift within the first-gen community. Despite worries they may have regarding the future, Rivera said students never allowed it to infiltrate and take away from their events and the hard work they will continue to do.
“There are still so many important achievements that we should be celebrating and still acknowledge throughout any of the challenges that are to come,” said Rivera.
Immediately following the election results, Bryan Landgren, the assistant director for the McNair Scholars, and the First-Gen center allowed space for the students to express however they were feeling about it. He feels that First-Gen Week was a good way for the students to be distracted and think a little less about the future.
It’s been really rewarding for Landgren to watch the first-gen community really strengthen and regroup in the face of their impending future. As a federally funded program, Landgren said he worries for the future but knows as long as they’ve got students that need them, they’ll continue to be here.
“Come Wednesday, we’ll start thinking about next year, “ Said Landgren, “But, it’s been really nice to watch our students and our team come together more than we ever really have.”
