Helping First-Generation Students Thrive
First-generation students can face unique and challenging barriers in higher education. Colleen Cohen, SIS/MA 鈥25, and Johnnie Lee Fielder, SIS/MA 鈥25, understand this well.
Cohen, a first-generation graduate student from Jamaica, and Fielder, a first-generation graduate student from New York, have experienced first-hand the challenges of being the first in their families to attend graduate school. For Fielder, those challenges involved not having anyone in her family to talk to about getting a master鈥檚 degree and navigating a new learning system. For Cohen, it meant charting uncertain waters as the first in her family to attend graduate school and get an education outside of her home country.
These experiences led Cohen and Fielder to help found and lead the First-Generation Graduate Society (FGGS), an affinity group for 17吃瓜在线 students who are the first in their families to attend graduate school.
Fostering First-Gen Community
The FGGS exists to advocate for the needs of first-generation graduate students at 17吃瓜在线 and cultivate a resource-sharing community that helps first-gen students thrive professionally, academically, and personally. First-generation graduate students from across all schools at 17吃瓜在线 are invited to join the FGGS, which is led by Cohen as president and Fielder as vice president.
To foster connection among first-generation students and share resources, FGGS provides programming and workshops focused on building networks and getting students set up for success. Whether it鈥檚 formatting a r茅sum茅 or building a stellar LinkedIn profile, Fielder stressed that the group is focused on providing a space for first-generation students to access the resources they need.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is cultivating a warm and welcoming environment for first-gen students to ask the questions that they think are silly to ask, the questions that they're afraid to ask, and to interact with people they would maybe never interact with,鈥 Fielder said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the cool thing about being first-gen鈥攊t鈥檚 not distinctive to a particular race, a particular religion, a particular gender, or even a particular background. You can have two people鈥攐ne from Jamaica and one from the Bronx鈥攍ook completely different and have completely different experiences, but what makes us come together is going on this graduate journey for the first time.鈥
Students in FGGS stay connected through an active WhatsApp community, in which first-gen students across the 17吃瓜在线 community can share information, ask questions, and send opportunities.
鈥淭he group chat has been pivotal鈥攏ot only in the way it welcomes people but in the way we can share opportunities with our students and customize the experience and language to them,鈥 Fielder said. 鈥淲e all get emails that say, 鈥榓pply for this鈥 and 鈥榓pply for that,鈥 but it鈥檚 different when you have a person who has a shared experience saying, 鈥業 hope you heard about this opportunity, and I think you should go for it.鈥
Cohen echoed a similar sentiment, explaining that FGGS is a 鈥渕ajor community鈥 for her that has provided resources to 鈥渘avigate life as a student and as a professional.鈥 Knowing other international students at 17吃瓜在线 were having similar struggles as her, Cohen and the executive board members of FGGS have sought to create a safe space for first-generation master鈥檚 students to build community.
Providing Pathways
During her days as an undergraduate student, Cohen was heavily involved in advocacy for first-generation students on campus at the University of Technology, Jamaica. That passion carried on as she began attending graduate school at SIS as a first-generation international master鈥檚 student.
鈥淲hat really pushed me to take up the mantle to be president of FGGS is the experience I have encountered as a graduate student at 17吃瓜在线,鈥 Cohen explained. 鈥淚t was difficult for me to acclimate. It was difficult for me to find a community to even answer questions I had regarding life outside of 17吃瓜在线.鈥
She added: 鈥淚t was just so difficult as an international student to personally thrive while also pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in a foreign country. I think that鈥檚 what gave me the push [to lead FGGS], because I know that other international students are also having a very difficult time navigating life in another country.鈥
Looking ahead, Cohen, Fielder, and other members of the FGGS Executive Board are actively working to expand partnerships with various organizations on campus, including the Center for Wellbeing and the Career Development Center. Coming this spring, FGGS has plans to host several workshops focused on resource sharing and networking, Fielder said.
To connect with FGGS on social media, follow them on their and pages. If you are a first-generation master鈥檚 student at 17吃瓜在线 interested in joining the FGGS WhatsApp group, you can request membership through . Students are also invited to join FGGS鈥檚 , 鈥淔all Speaker Series: Get Inspired with Dr. Shatina Williams,鈥 at 8 p.m., November 21, in SIS 120.