Navigating Your New Reality as a First-Generation Student

University. A new chapter. An experience entirely your own. To honor the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded access to education for many students across the nation, First-Generation Day was born. This day is celebrated annually on November 8th to acknowledge, applaud, and show interpersonal support to all students who are the first in their families to graduate from college. But being a first-generation student goes beyond just one day. To many, this can be a time of wavering or facing challenges where you don’t know where to find the answer. At college, this is the time for you to expand your mind and see that you belong. With the proper resources and guidance, Great Jobs KC is here to ensure that all First-Generation Scholars excel in their programs and go beyond what they dreamed was possible. 

First-generation student or not, you may be asking yourself, how do I take my first step into this process of continuing my education? To begin, reflecting on who you are as an individual is critical. What do you love? What are you good at? What could you do for several years? All the questions you have probably asked yourself countless times, but are just as important. Your future career path should align with your answers to these questions. You may also not have answers to all of these right now. Keep these questions in the back of your mind as you live your college experience; this will help you stay connected with yourself and pull helpful memories to answer them. As you experience new things on campus, participate in events, and connect with new people, remember to reflect and see how your answers may shift. 

While on campus, remember to take advantage of the opportunities around you. Look out for internships or career-accelerating opportunities available at your school. You can even ask your advocate or counselor how to get involved in your school's career resource center. Take time to network on campus, meet with your peers and mentors. As 85% of all job positions are filled through networking, take the time to explore anyone with whom you could grow a professional connection. Oftentimes, college campuses will host networking events for this exact purpose.

And remember, utilize your Scholar Advocate. Everyone faces unique challenges when navigating their education; whether you need help with financial aid, class adjustments, or simply someone to bounce questions off of, your advocate is here to help you push through to the finish line. At Great Jobs KC, we are proud to have created quality partnerships across Kansas and Missouri campuses to support and prepare our Scholars for their future careers. With such strong trust in not only our 26 university partners but also in the endless guidance our Scholar Advocates provide, we know that our Scholars, including our First-Generation Scholars, are receiving the exact support they need to succeed in our programs and move towards a strong first job after graduation. 

Seeing the impact firsthand is incredible. As over 70% of KC Scholars are first-generation, we take pride in knowing that our Scholars are provided for in every way they need to be academically successful. With the right support, our Scholars experience a transformative program that empowers them through career preparation.