By: Sid J. Trant, Chancellor of the University of Alabama System
As we recognize National First-Generation College Celebration Day, I am proud to celebrate the 12,000 students enrolled across the University of Alabama System who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree as well as the exceptional programming, opportunities and support in place for first-generation students at each of our universities.
It is the kind of support I wish I had when I was a first-generation college student myself.
My parents never attended college. In fact, they never graduated from high school, but they believed deeply in the value of an education. They believed a college degree would give their children choices and opportunities they had never had. They believed education was the bridge to a better life – and they were right.
When I first arrived on campus at The University of Alabama, like many first-generation students, I simply did not know what to expect. I grew up in a small town across the state, and I did not have a parent who could help me navigate college life. What I did have, however, was determination and a deep sense that education was the path to a better future.
Ultimately, UA became a place that transformed my life.
My undergraduate experience eventually led to law school at Georgetown, a 30-year career practicing law, and then, eventually, back to the University of Alabama System, where I now have the privilege of serving as chancellor. I share my story because it informs the way I think about our responsibility to our students.
First-generation students need people who can help them navigate an unfamiliar environment. They need academic and financial support, mentors, and a community where they know they belong. They need opportunities that help them see where their education can take them.
We must provide the support, encouragement, and opportunities that allow our students to reach their full potential. We want them to walk across the graduation stage and out of our doors to meaningful jobs, successful careers, and a life for them and their families that has been transformed by the power of the education and experiences that we provide. When we help first-generation students succeed, the impact extends far beyond that one student. We break the chains of generational poverty and change the lives of their families and future generations. That is the larger promise of this mission.
This commitment runs throughout the UA System. All three universities are members of the FirstGen Forward Network, and each is working to ensure first-generation students have the guidance, relationships and resources they need to succeed. Our universities are also helping students envision what their education can make possible.
- UA First provides a university-wide network of support for first-generation students, helping them navigate university life and prepare for future career opportunities, and industry immersion trips introducing first-generation students to employers, career paths and professional environments.
- UAB’s First Blazers builds community and connects students with peer mentors and academic and financial resources to help them progress toward their goals.
- The UAH First-Gen Ambassadors support incoming students and their families before they even enter the classroom, while First & Proud and First2Grad sustain that connection throughout their college experience.
These are only a few examples of the initiatives on our campuses, but together they represent a shared commitment – that no student has to navigate college alone – and a shared belief – that access must be matched by the support students need to succeed. From their first days on campus to the education and experiences that prepare our students for careers and lives of purpose, we are working across the UA System to ensure first-generation students can take full advantage of the opportunities before them.
My story is just one example of how higher education can change a life and open doors that seemed unimaginable. Across our universities, there are thousands of students writing their own versions of that story today. In fact, one in every five students across our System is a first-generation student. That is why this work is so central to who we are as a System.
In recognition of First-Gen Week, I want to commend the faculty who instill confidence in our students, the staff who guide them, and the first-generation students themselves who are charting new paths and building new legacies. We see you. We believe in you. And we will walk alongside you every step of the way.