Baylor Joins National Celebration of First-Generation College Students on Nov. 8

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (Nov. 7, 2019) – Baylor University will join colleges and universities around the nation on Friday, Nov. 8, in celebrating first-generation college students, faculty and staff as part of the national First-Generation College Celebration.

Baylor will celebrate its first-generation students, faculty and staff at a mixer open to the campus community from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in the SUB Den on the first floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center. In addition, first-generation students and their families will be recognized at the Baylor-Grambling women’s basketball game at 6 p.m. in the Ferrell Center.

The First-Generation College Celebration is held annually on Nov. 8, marking the anniversary of the signing of the 1965 Higher Education Act, which has helped millions of first-generation, low-income/under-resourced students persist to degree completion. The celebration was launched in 2017 by the Council for Opportunity in Education, in partnership with the Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation.

Among Baylor’s initiatives that support the success of first-generation college students is the University’s First in Line program, a support unit on campus that provides scholarships, directed programming, mentoring and a network of faculty and staff to assist first-generation college students. As part of the Paul L. Foster Success Center-Student Success Initiatives, the First in Line program works with various offices across campus to create opportunities for leadership development, academic enhancement and campus involvement. The program provides services directly to students, trainings for faculty and staff, and family engagement.

In May 2019, the Center for First-generation Student Success selected Baylor among the Center’s inaugural cohort of First Forward Institutions. The First Forward designation recognizes institutions of higher education that have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. Selected institutions receive professional development, community-building experiences and a first look at the Center’s research and resources.

For more information about Baylor’s First in Line program, which is located in the west wing of the Sid Richardson Building on campus, visit www.baylor.edu/firstinline or contact staff at 254-710-6284 or firstinline@baylor.edu.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.