As first generation students mingled and shared experiences, it became clear to many in attendance that the term “first gen” encompasses various ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
On Wednesday evening, Nov. 9, Augusta University’s Department of Multicultural Student Engagement hosted a community outreach talk at the Summerville Campus.
Guest speakers included university staff who identify as first generation college graduates in their families and have experienced familial pressures in the past.
Growing up as a Polish Catholic and attending college in Buffalo, NY during the late 50s and early 60s, Max Stachura spoke of his own struggles with feeling isolated and overwhelmed.
“I was on my own – no parents to back me up. No parent expectations to live up to,” said Stachura, director of the university’s Center for Telehealth. “I was alone.”
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Despite his parents’ immense disapproval, Stachura said he decided to pursue a teaching doctorate and later became a professor.
Stachura said faculty support and guidance from college mentors taught him to believe in himself and his own passions, which ultimately gave him the confidence he needed to stand up to his parents.
Stachura also said the best way for first generation students to overcome possible outside prejudices and familial expectations is by believing in themselves and focusing on what they want to be in the future.
Fellow speaker and Department Chair of Kinesiology, Steven Page, said he hopes attending students gained a sense of community because he believes recognizing others in the same situation prevents isolation and feelings of loneliness.
“I believe one thing that always helped me was having a mentor,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll see that anything is possible. They are not alone and there’s nothing they can’t do.”
Page, who is also the interim chair of Research, Counseling and Curriculum, also said he has noticed a dramatic change in students attitude towards being a first generation college attendee; nowadays they are proud. When he was in school, Page said first generation students were not openly acknowledged, and they certainly did not have a community or club.
“Everybody knew who we were, but nobody ever talked about it,” he said.
Third speaker Reena Patel-Viswanath, whose mother attended up to middle school while her father stopped after third grade, said the term “first generation” is made up of many different perspectives – some with high expectations of college and others with none – which causes it to be an “invisible identity.”
“There’s a misconception that first gen is always someone of a minority or minority background, where that’s not always the case,” Page added. “Even professors, just because we are professors doesn’t mean we necessarily came from a college educated family.”
From her own experience, Patel-Viswanath said the words “first gen” can immediately connect people because it allows individuals to acknowledge each other’s struggles in earning a higher level of education.
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“We are a different set of unique individuals, but we’re able to support each other to get through these barriers and anticipate future barriers that may exist,” she said. “Spaces like this, where we’re intentional about talking about it and labeling it as first gen, brings that awareness to light and uplifts it.”
Although the speakers all recognized high existing statistics of minorities and low socio-economic backgrounds making up a large portion of first generation students, they stressed the importance of not allowing such parameters to arrest one’s potential.
Patel-Viswanath, an assistant professor of Research, Counseling and Curriculum at Augusta University, encourages students to honor and recognize their past along with their ongoing battle, because it allows them to focus on their end goal despite current challenges.
“Don’t let the dominant narrative stray you from your path, because [people] will say negative things and [people] will put you in a deficit perspective,” she said. “But own who you are and own being first gen. It’s something that you should be proud of.”
The talk then ended with group activities and discussions to promote community by allowing participants to speak on existing myths, challenges and share their inner pride.
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
