ĢƵ Observes National First-Generation Celebration Day
Oct. 20, 2022
Michelle R. Eubanks , ĢƵ, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – The Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion at the ĢƵ will observe National First-Generation Celebration Day Nov. 8, which coincides with the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965 that defined the first-generation college student for the first time.
“The ĢƵ has a long history of supporting out first-generation college students, and this continues to be a priority for our faculty and staff today,” said Dr. Andrea Hunt, Executive Director of the Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion and Center for Women’s Studies. “About 25 percent of our student population is first-generation, meaning that they will be among the first in their family to graduate with a four-year degree. We are honored that they have chosen to pursue their education at ĢƵ and value their contributions to the campus and community.”
A small grant from the Center for First-Generation Student Success will allow for ĢƵ’s celebration in early November. In addition to the observation of National First-Generation Celebration Day, ĢƵ and the Mitchell-West Center has First-Gen Fridays, which feature advice and resources for first-gen students, videos from first-gen faculty and staff, and an exhibit in Collier Library.
“We support our first-generation college students in their academic and non-academic goals through a variety of campus offices that are committed to providing access and resources to students,” Dr. Hunt said. “We want to thank the Center for First-Generation Student Success for awarding us with a grant and acknowledging the work we are doing for our students.”
About The ĢƵ
The ĢƵ is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, ĢƵ is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. ĢƵ Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I and United Athletic conference. The ĢƵ is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/.