As students walked to their classes and residence halls last week, their paths were lined with posters depicting the faces of first-generation students, faculty and staff here at Hamilton. The posters were part of an annual campaign, FirstUp!, that aims to honor those individuals who were the first in their families to attend college.

The FirstUp! campaign was a week filled with events and activities to raise awareness about the first-generation college experience. The programs included opportunities for first-generation students to get FirstUp! merchandise, a life skills event, a FirstUp! celebration, an activity planned by Hamilton’s Questbridge Scholars Network and a reception at the Wellin Museum. At the Wellin, attendees were able to tour the Dialogues Across Disciplines exhibit which showcases first-generation artists.

For first-generation students at Hamilton, FirstUp! is a larger program that provides support throughout the college experience. There is a network of faculty and staff members who can recount their first-generation experiences, and “these staff members — along with faculty and fellow students — will help to ensure that you don’t face challenges alone,” as described on the FirstUp! website. The FirstUp! web page is filled with familiar faces who were the first in their families to attend college and links to easily contact them with questions or concerns. Additionally, the initiative maintains a comprehensive list of resources to support students in the areas of academics, health & wellness, housing information, dining services, our neighborhood, transportation, tuition & financial aid and career planning.

The initiative aims to provide first-generation students with the mentors, leaders, advisors and resources that will help ease the transition to college. According to the FirstUp! homepage, Ashley Garcia ’22 connected to Professor Matthew Grace through the FirstUp! network. Garcia remarked, “Coming from a low-income background and identifying as a first-generation student, I never imagined I’d be conducting research, let alone presenting at a national conference. Professor Matthew Grace was the first person to really believe I could tackle such a sphere, and it was his guidance, and support from the POSSE community, that enabled me to believe in myself as well.”