Celebrating first-gen identities

The College hosted its first-annual First Generation Reception on Tuesday, March 29 in Somers Main Lounge. Over 50 members of the campus community participated in-person and virtually. The event began with a group photo on the front steps of Tower Hall, followed by a welcome from Dory Kempf who serves as the director of TRIO Student Support Services. Faculty member Madonna LeBlanc and staff member Matt Hoeschen also offered remarks.

“An idea came up about where we wanted to focus our efforts,” said Kempf. “This event represented a way to bring together faculty, staff and students in support of first-generation identity.”

St. Scholastica currently has 87 faculty and staff and 694 undergraduate students who identify as first-generation, meaning neither parents nor guardians graduated from a four-year institution. The reception was sponsored by the institution’s First-Generation Forward Fellows, a cohort of campus advocates who are committed to first-generation student success.

Read more about the College’s Student Support Services and designation as a First Forward institution.