For Samuel Ramirez ’24, Students First removed a burden on his family during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special fundraising effort was created as part of the Elon LEADS Campaign to help new and returning students continue their education at Elon.

The grant will be used to raise awareness and celebrate the accomplishments of first-generation college students, faculty and staff.

Anthony Abraham Jack, author of “The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students,” joined the Elon community for a virtual discussion about obstacles facing first-generation college students nationwide.

The Center for Access and Success honored Elon's first-generation college students and the community that supports them in a special awards gala on Thursday night.

The First-Generation College Celebration, planned for Nov. 5-10, will feature a series of events honoring and recognizing Elon students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Elon is a member of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty, which offers summer internships to undergraduates across the nation.

Assistant Professor of Engineering Rich Blackmon forged a path as a first-generation college student. At Elon, he's ensuring young engineers thrive in a rigorous, diverse, forward-thinking program

Now a budding scientist and entomologist with the Hamel Lab, Carranza is a first-generation, Latinx college student who once questioned her calling to science. Growing up, she rarely saw scientists who looked like her represented. Her summer internship raised the profile of an unheralded female entomologist from the 20th century and forged connections in her field.

Elon is among 31 schools who have been asked to participate in the initiative after demonstrating a commitment to advancing the outcomes of first-generation students.

Raville’s “Gen-One” initiative aims to provide students, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college, with the professional clothing they need to feel confident on campus and beyond.