Charlotte Awarded Grant For First-Generation Celebration
First-Generation Celebration Week is back at UNC Charlotte from November 4-10. This time around, the University has received a grant to amplify the celebrations.
Charlotte has been awarded a grant for the 2024 First-Generation College Celebration initiative. This grant, provided by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and FirstGen Forward with support from TIAA and the Strada Education Foundation, will enable the University to further its commitment to supporting first-generation college students.
This is Charlotte’s second time receiving the grant. The first was in 2022, the same year as the University’s first iteration of First-Generation Celebration Week. Charlotte is one of this year’s 65 recipients for the $1,000 grant.
The contributions from the proposal team of Dr. Lorenzo Hopper, Shayauna Newsom, Christopher Walls, Briana Wilson and Melanie Valderrama helped Charlotte earn this grant.
“Through this support, IAmAFirstGenNiner can continue to move first-gen forward so that Charlotte students can claim their First-Gen identity loudly and proudly,” said Newsom, program director for Transition and Belonging in Transition & Success Initiatives.
With over 32% of Charlotte’s students being first-generation Niners, the week is meant as a way to showcase their achievements and celebrate the accomplishment it is to be the first.
This year’s First-Generation Celebration Week takes place November 4-10. More information can be found on the I Am First Gen website. Part of this week is the First-Generation College Celebration, which is recognized nationally each year on November 8. That day marks the anniversary of the signing of the 1965 Higher Education Act, which has helped millions of first-generation students persist to degree completion
COE President Kimberly Jones emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “First-generation college students bring unique perspectives and resilience to our campuses. This grant empowers institutions like UNC Charlotte to continue providing the necessary resources and support for these students to thrive.”
Maurice Jones, CEO of FirstGen Forward, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success, echoed these sentiments: “We are thrilled to partner with UNC Charlotte and other institutions across the country to advance the success of first-generation college students. We’re especially grateful to TIAA and the Strada Education Foundation for their generous sponsorship of this grant, which represents an opportunity to catalyze innovative solutions and create lasting impact within our communities.”
About the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE):
The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) is a nonprofit organization established in 1981 dedicated to expanding college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Pacific Islands, and Puerto Rico. Its membership includes more than 1,000 colleges and agencies. Through its numerous membership services, the Council works with colleges, universities, and agencies to help low-income students enter college and graduate. Nearly a million low-income students and students with disabilities receive college access and retention services each year through our member colleges and agencies.
About FirstGen Forward
FirstGen Forward™, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success, partners with higher education, philanthropy, business, the public sector, and others to catalyze first-generation student success in education, career, and life.