At MSU, we want to take time to recognize all our first-generation students. Join us for the First-Generation College Celebration, an annual celebration on Nov. 8 that commemorates the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. The HEA provided colleges and universities with the funds and resources to focus on retention, access and completion for first-generation students.
A first-generation college student is a student who neither parent nor guardian has earned a four-year degree. At MSU we celebrate the tenacity and dedication these students and their families bring to our community, and we recognize and celebrate the faculty and staff who are first-generation college graduates and the meaningful contributions they make to our campus every day.
Mark your calendars for the FGCC week, November 3-7, and hold time for events recognizing the efforts and contributions of our first-gen students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Check out our events below!
The Vanderploeg First-Generation College Celebration is an annual event to celebrate students, faculty, and staff who are the first in their families to attend or graduate from a four-year institution. This event will allow for this community of scholars to come together to celebrate the strengths that they bring to MSU.
A networking reception will be hosted from 4:30PM-5:30PM followed by an awards and recognition ceremony from 5:30-6:30PM in the MSU Union Ballroom. Nominate first-gen students for their academic excellence and/or outstanding campus involvement. We are also accepting nominations for a faculty/staff member to be recognized for their incredible work and support of first-generation students at MSU.
We hope that you will come to share time with your fellow Spartans who share in the identity of being first-generation!
Nomination Form is now closed.
If you would like to get access to the photos taken at the Reception and Awards Ceremony, please continue to scroll down for more information.
Apply to be the Student Keynote Speaker!
At the Annual First-Gen Reception and Awards Ceremony, a first-gen Spartan will have the opportunity to be the student keynote speaker. Students will be asked to share their first-gen story in a 10 minute speech. Student speakers must identify as first-generation and able to attend the Reception and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, November 5th from 4:30-6:30PM.
Application for the Student Keynote Speaker is now closed.
Photos from the First-Gen Reception & Awards Ceremony
To access the images, when opening the website on computers please click on the downwards arrow to download the gallery- this is on the right margin underneath “View Gallery”. For mobile devices, please click on the three dots on the right margin underneath the cover photo to then access the download option.
From here you will be brought to a page that will ask for your email and the Download Pin, which is below. After entering that information, please choose “High Resolution” for the download size and from there you can choose where you would like the photos to be downloaded to on your device.
Shortly after that you will receive an email that contains the saved files. You can then press “Download photos” from your email and download the files to your device. After downloading the files, you can open your files, click on the zip file and then a folder will open with the files where you can download them as images.
If you decide to post any of them, we ask that you tag the photographer @belsnapshots on Instagram! If you have trouble accessing the photos, you can contact Isabel Kruger at isabelkruger515@gmail.com
Download PIN: 7147
