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Rows upon rows of Syracuse University first-generation students and staff crowded the Watson Theater at the “You matter, You belong” event on Tuesday for keynote speaker Dr. Evingerlean D.B. Hudson.

The Kessler Presidential Scholars Program and the Higher Education Opportunity Program organized the event to commemorate first-generation students, faculty and others on their accomplishments at SU. Dr. Eve said the event aimed to foster a sense of community and unity for the first-generation students on campus and help them feel less alone and intimidated.

The event on Tuesday, the selected date for the annual National First-Generation College Celebration, honored the anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965 being signed. The federal act strengthened the educational resources of colleges and universities and provided financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education.

Dr. Eve was born and raised in a low-socioeconomic household in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was a first-generation college student and earned her Ph.D at the age of 28. She went on to create Evingerlean Worldwide, an organization that celebrates and aids the accomplishments for future and current first-gen scholars.

Dr. Eve reflected on “You Matter, You Belong” as a highly interactive, personal and fun event, featuring multiple activities and challenges for first-gen students to connect with each other based on their struggles and accomplishments.

For Lauren Pietrandrea, a first-generation student at SU, hearing Dr. Eve’s message helped her feel a sense of community and pride for that aspect of her identity.

“Entering an environment that none of my family had prior knowledge of was very intimidating,” Pietrandrea said. “It was a lot of pressure coming here with limited resources to fall back on in terms of managing classes, success rates in classes (and) getting accustomed to dorm living.”

Dr. Eve also validated the fear many first-generation students are forced to combat when arriving to a college campus, coming from a background where they may not have had as many resources as students whose parents attended college. She emphasized that being a first-generation student is not a weakness or a shortcoming and that SU has support systems in place to help all students succeed.

“Asking people for help is learning to be resourceful, so don’t shy away from it. Everyone needs a little help sometimes,” Dr. Eve said.

Dr. Eve highlighted both academic and mental health resources for first-generation students to employ to overcome adversity. She called attention to the Barnes’ Center at The Arch’s mental health hubs and morning yoga classes, as well as other academic support resources like weekly tutoring, professors, TAs and advisors.

The presentation followed Dr. Eve’s FIRST acronym — Fortunate, Intentional, Resourceful, Supported and Trailblazing — as a roadmap to outline the key themes of her conversation. Each word was associated with a different activity for students to reframe their perspective on their first-generation student identity.

Dr. Eve urged students to search for the positive in their experience, recognize the accessibility of their campus and supporters and reflect on their immense accomplishment of earning a college degree, despite having to work harder than some of their peers.

Pietrandrea said Dr. Eve’s words reignited her sense of purpose to make her family proud and open doors for younger generations to have the same opportunities.

“My biggest supporters are my family,” Pietrandrea said. “Although they didn’t know much about the college experience, they were more than willing to do everything possible to aid my success.”

Dr. Eve acknowledged that first-gen students have to be the champions for themselves — though there’s external support, only they can intentionally pave the way to becoming and choosing to be first-gen students.

“When you know you matter because of every little accomplishment, you belong anywhere. Never minimize the things you do,” Dr. Eve said.

Dr. Eve concluded her conversation by leading the first-generation students in a chant. “Who’s first? Cuse first!” filled the theater.

“Anyone who has done something great has felt hurt, pain and struggle,” Dr. Eve said. “The temporary sacrifices are a part of the gain. Keep going.”

Published on November 9, 2022 at 12:45 am