Last week, on Nov. 8, Sonoma State University proudly recognized the experiences of First Generation students and their families by joining colleges across the nation celebrating the 2022 CelebrateFirstGen campaign. The event celebrated the journeys of First-Gen students and their families, culminating in a national day of celebration which coincided with the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Students were invited to gather outside of the library, take selfies, grab some snacks and just absorb the impact of first-gen students. Seawolves were also encouraged to share their stories on social media, discussing personal first-gen experiences or those of classmates and colleagues.

 Ojeda Davis, Jr., a first-year SSU philosophy student shared some feelings that come with his first-gen student background that were featured in an Instagram post from @sonomastateuniversity. “It means a lot to me to be a First-Generation student in my family. I feel like I’m paving the way for not only myself but for those who come after me. Breaking this cycle means a lot to me,” Davis said.

The on campus celebration was organized by the SSU TRIO Student Support Services Department. The federally funded department aims to support students facing disadvantages, such as first-generation, low income and students with disabilities.

Another student, Serena Chan, a second year Human Development student also shared her experiences on the @sonomastateuniversity Instagram. “While I am the first ever in my family to pursue a degree in a higher education institution, I am able to say that I am doing this for myself as well as for my parents who have never had the same level as education as I have and that by going here, I am proving to myself and to my family that I deserve to be here,” Chan said.

The period of celebration was co-launched in 2017 by the Center For First-Generation Student Success and the Council for Opportunity in Education. The First-Gen College Celebration recognizes those who are first in their families to attend college and has established a platform in which institutions can acknowledge their first-gen members.

Since 2017, the campaign has inspired many colleges, universities, corporations, non-profits, and K-12 schools across the nation to celebrate the success of first-generation college students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Many other universities joined SSU in the celebration on November 8, such as CSU San Marcos, UC Berkeley and Colorado State just to name a few. Similarly to SSU, many of these universities organized events on campus to bring first generation members together and celebrate their feats.

The history of this November 8 date runs deep, as it marks the anniversary of when the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) was passed. The act emerged from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty and was intended to help level a playing field that had been weighed against Americans from minority and low-income backgrounds.

As first-gen SSU students shared some of their experiences, so did faculty members. Sil Machado, an Associate Professor of the Counseling department via Facebook expressed his feelings on the impact he’s made, “Being a first-gen college graduate from an immigrant family means I have made good on the sacrifices my family made to create a better life for me and for future generations.”

The event last week hosted by SSU and other institutions alike helped in advancing the inspiring national narrative of first-generation student experiences.