Are you the first one in your family to go to college? Did you know that nearly 32 percent of undergraduate students enrolled across our three UW campuses are first-generation students?

Upcoming Opportunities

Volunteer with firstUW: first-generation Husky mentoring program - Share your experience as an upperclass UW student by mentoring incoming new first-gen Huskies next autumn. Learn more here: 

Connect with First-Gen Faculty & Staff: This event provides an opportunity for first-gen undergrad students to connect with UW faculty and staff who are also first-generation and have found their paths. These connections are intended to make campus feel smaller for our first-gen undergrads and will allow them the opportunity to develop relationships on campus. Students can sign up for 1:1 chats with our first-generation faculty and staff November 8th - 19th.

We invite you to learn more about this event and our wonderful volunteer faculty and staff via their profiles in our google drive folder. You may find that some of their stories resonate with your experience or that they are involved with things you are interested in! Our volunteers have reserved time to chat with you on various days and times between November 8^th and November 19th. If you notice someone you may be interested in connecting with, you can see when they are available to meet here.

Ways to Engage in the Community 

We are here to support you and help you find a community at UW. Here are a couple of tips to start you off. 

1. First-Gen Updates List - Opt-in to stay informed about first-gen specific events and resources. 

2. National First-Gen Celebration Day - Mark your calendar for November 8, 2022, to celebrate your amazing accomplishment of going to college as a first-generation student! Be on the lookout for more information in your email about events and activities.

Tips from current UW first-gen students:

1. Talk to your adviser, especially during your first quarter. Share with them that you are first-gen and don’t be afraid to ask questions

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your professors and teaching assistants. Being proactive can help you feel less intimidated and overwhelmed.

3. Research and know your resources. UW has resources for so many things -- and a lot of them are here in this Husky Guide -- but they can pass you by if you don’t look for them.

 

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