FirstGenFM

Send us Fan Mail Art by and for first-generation students provides a creative outlet and a powerful way to connect with student experiences. Art work in first-generation spaces is important, and art made by first-generation students is even better. M.C. Damm, assistant director of Boston University's Newbury Center talks about their first-gen art initiative, how art tells the story of the fir...

Send us Fan Mail Ryan Fewins-Bliss is the Executive Director of the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN). He shares his thoughts on the messages first-generation, BIPOC, and other students and families are receiving about going going to college, and how we need to have a data-informed approach to counteracting these messages that college is not for you. Ryan talks about the DNA of manufacturing...

Send us Fan Mail Today I talk with Dr. Natalie Hart, a former student who was a Washington State Achievers Scholar at the University of Washington while I was the director of that program. Our conversation covers her from third grade when she knew she'd be a doctor (an astronaut doctor?), to her mentors that encouraged her to dream big, and what she learned about mentoring from her journey th...

Send us Fan Mail Michelle Onaka, a recent TRIO SSS academic counselor, instructor, and data coordinator at Oregon State University, talks about engaging students in conversations around money. We talk about how to start conversations, about credit cards and debt aversion, investing, and even making plans to repay loans after graduations. Michelle shares the course she developed and her tools for h...

Send us Fan Mail Storytelling for students, especially first-generation students can be empowering and enlightening, Learn how to help students tell authentic, meaningful stories, for admissions, scholarships, interviews, and even dates! Dr. Rebecca Wiltberger Wiggins joins me to talk about storytelling (and tells a few stories about her family and her experiences teaching). She shares some wonder...

Send us Fan Mail FirstGenFM is broadcasting to high school and college educators who are working with first-generation college and college-bound students. It will be like a mini-conference session each week with takeaways to help you and your students thrive and learn about success. My goal is to create a web of knowledgeable advocates for first-generation students and to inspire conversation amon...