The Office for Student Empowerment (OSE) and First Gen Family collaborated to celebrate First Gen Week from Monday to Friday. The events celebrate the experiences and resilience of first-generation students at Saint Mary’s College. Throughout the week, students, faculty and staff gathered for events centered on empowerment, reflection and community.
The celebration kicked off Monday morning with coffee, doughnuts and first-generation sweatshirt pick-ups in the Division for Belonging. The sweatshirts, designed by students, included symbolic items from the college and phrases celebrating first-generation students.
On the following night, First Gen Family held its Flower Bouquet and Vision Board Making event, where students were able to decorate bouquets and wrote letters to themselves as a reminder to “bloom where they are planted.”
As one of the bigger events for First Gen Week, the organization hosted its First Gen Dinner Celebration in Stapleton Lounge, where first-generation students, faculty and staff shared a meal of catered Mexican food and desserts. The space was decorated with stars featuring personal stories of Saint Mary’s first-generation students on what it means to them being first-generation in college.
A keynote speech was given by Isela Garcilazo ’19, a counselor at the college’s Health & Counseling Center. In her speech, Garcilazo reflected on her own first-generation journey and the challenges of balancing family expectations and personal dreams.
Garcilazo shared how she once planned to become a nurse, a dream her parents had for her, but ultimately decided to follow her passion for social work.
“Telling them I wanted to change my major was one of the hardest conversations I had,” she said. “But they saw that it would be far worse for me to stay in a field that I didn’t love than to pursue something that truly inspired me.”
Garcilazo also encouraged students to seek support and use campus resources.
“I want other students to understand that they don’t have to go through difficult things by themselves,” she said. “There are staff and faculty members who truly care and are ready to help. All they have to do is reach out.”
Faculty members in attendance also reflected on the importance of the celebration. Tracy White, director of advising, said First Gen Week is deeply personal to her.
“It gives me an opportunity to share my story with students, to encourage them and support them in their own journey,” White said. “I want to help them realize their dream of being the first in their family to earn a college degree.”
Ruth Solarte-Hensgen, visiting assistant professor of Modern Languages and Culture, echoed this sentiment, sharing how the week allows her to connect with students in new ways.
“Sometimes in class we’re so focused on the material,” Solarte said. “But when we’re at events like this, we can have more relaxed conversations and students are more willing to ask about our experiences.”
She hopes that first-generation students know the faculty are here to help and that “we’re willing to talk to students anytime.”
The celebration wrapped up Friday morning with the First Gen photo shoot on The Avenue, where students proudly wore their first-generation sweatshirts for a group photo.
