Baylor Joins Universities Across the Country Nov. 6 to Celebrate First-Generation College Students

WACO, Texas (Nov. 4, 2020) — Baylor University will join colleges and universities across the country to celebrate first-generation students, faculty and staff as part of the national First-Generation College Celebration Day.

Open to the campus community, the celebration will be held Friday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning with Baylor swag and food voucher giveaways in the SUB Bowl outside the Bill Daniel Student Center. The event also will feature a Virtual Resource Fair and a Virtual Alumni Panel to provide resources, support and guidance for first-generation students from 2 to 4 p.m.

“First-Generation College Celebration Day gives us the opportunity to recognize and lift up our first-generation students and their place at Baylor,” said Michelle Gonzalez, program manager for First in Line at Baylor. “Our first-gen students’ unique college experiences contribute to the diversity of campus and help to foster a transformational educational environment. We are so excited for the chance to celebrate these students and all they’ve accomplished.”

Event Schedule

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Baylor swag giveaways at the SUB Bowl, including food voucher handouts for Shorty’s Pizza Shack and Vitek’s BBQ every half hour.
• 2 to 3 p.m. - Virtual Resource Fair live on Instagram with first-generation student leaders, the McNair Scholars Program, financial literacy coaches, Academic Support Programs and more.
• 3 to 4 p.m. - Virtual First-Gen Alumni Panel on “Inspiring Success” held via Zoom.

For more information about the events and to view the Alumni Panel, visit baylor.edu/firstinline/alumnipanel.

Baylor’s First in Line program

Baylor supports the success of first-generation students with 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, First in Line works with various offices across campus to create opportunities for students in 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, an initiative of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation, 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.

In June 2020, Baylor was among 11 First-gen Forward Institutions elevated to the Advisory Institution designation. As a First-gen Forward Advisory Institution, select Baylor faculty and staff will be afforded multiple opportunities to engage with peer and aspirational institutions who are also creating environments that improve the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students.

For more information about Baylor’s National First-Generation College Celebration Day, including Zoom meeting information, visit www.baylor.edu/firstinline or contact staff at 254-710-6854 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 19,000 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.