First Generation Program Directory
First generation students are supported by programs all across campus. These programs are offered by a variety of departments, colleges, units, and in some cases, the university as a whole. They seek to build connections across a wealth of resources, including academic advising, mentorship opportunities, financial aid guidance, and community-building events. Explore the directory categories below and see what program options are available!
First Gen Programs by Category
In this section, find First Gen programs sorted by program purpose. Please note this list is not complete and may contain information for programs that are no longer active.
An Introduction to Illinois
Application Workshops
Focus Student Population: Pre-matriculation
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Virtual workshops for prospective HS students. A counselor walks through the admissions process and answers questions.
Staff Contact & Email: Doug Burgett, dburgett@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/visit/campus-visits/virtual-programs
Early Arrival Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: The purpose of the EAP Program is to assist with the transition from high school to college (Gies Business).
Staff Contact & Email: Jewell White, white7@illinois.edu
Website: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/undergraduate-hub/access-multicultura…
First Generation Resource Fair
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Partnership between Jeffries Center and University Library. Introduces students to different campus partners and their services that can help students in their time at UIUC.
Staff Contact & Email: Maria Emerson, memersn2@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
First-Gen Day with the College of FAA
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Raise awareness of first generations students, faculty and staff and connect our FAA community to the larger campus First Generation programming.
Staff Contact & Email: Reba Daniels, rebajoe@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWVzyxp5Dl/?img_index=1
LAS FYE Experience
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: LAS 101 and 102 courses designed to help new students with transition at Illinois, LAS Lift-Off welcome celebration
Staff Contact & Email: Darrell Hunter, dkhunter@illinois.edu
LAS Recruitment & Admissions
Focus Student Population: Pre-matriculation
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: LAS Recruitment & Admissions primarily collaborates with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and LAS academic departments, units, and programs to recruit, admit, yield, and enroll a diverse cohort of high-achieving first-year and transfer students to the College of LAS.
Staff Contact & Email: Jonathan Elugbadebo, elugbadb@illinois.edu
Website: https://las.illinois.edu/admissions
Rhetoric Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: First-year writing program
Staff Contact & Email: Kristi McDuffie, kmcduff@illinois.edu
Website: https://english.illinois.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/rhetoric-p…
Strong StArt Program; College of Fine and Applied Arts Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Offers support for selected incoming freshmen in FAA. It was designed to help new students make a smooth transition from high school to college life.
Staff Contact & Email: Reba Daniels, rebajoe@illinois.edu
Website: https://faa.illinois.edu/student-resources/current-students/academic-af…
The Circuit
Focus Student Population: Pre-matriculation
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: The Circuit is a FREE early move-in experience for incoming Black students (both first-year and transfer) hosted by the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC). BNAACC’s mission invites support for the social, cultural, and academic well-being of Black students and Black heritage at Illinois. The Circuit embodies that mission by creating a safe and welcoming environment where our new students meet new friends, learn how to succeed at Illinois, and become a part of our wonderful community.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering (Grainger College of Engineering)
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Provide STEM Outreach to Pre-College students. This includes summer camp scholarships for historically underrepresented students in STEM and partnerships with community organizations serving these same populations. Students, staff, and faculty provide science and engineering content and activities for K-12 students, teachers, and families.
Staff Contact & Email: Lara Herbert, lhebert2@illinois.edu
Website: https://wyse.grainger.illinois.edu/
Academic Wellness
CareerSpring
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: CareerSpring is a non-profit organization supporting first-generation and low-income students by providing access to career information, a network of professionals, and job placement services, including exclusive internship/job opportunities. Gies College of Business is a partner of CareerSpring. The Gies Office of Career and Professional Development has worked to promote the platform and services to first-generation students in the college.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://careerspring.org/
Chemistry Merit Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provide support in undergraduate chemistry service courses
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren, emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: http://merit.illinois.edu
Education Success Initiative
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The Student Academic Affairs Office (SAAO) in the College of Education addresses all undergraduate student issues. It is the common goal of all SAAO personnel that each and every undergraduate student succeed in our college. The Education Success Initiative (ESI) was developed in the fall of 2007. The ESI program is designed to support students in their quest to succeed academically at the university level and reach their personal and academic goals.
Students meeting designated criteria will be invited to participate in ESI. The ESI Adviser meets individually with all ESI students at the beginning of the semester and a plan is established between the student and adviser that outlines agreed upon meeting dates and goals for the semester.
Once a student is recognized as an ESI candidate and participation is requested by the College, the student should realize their compliance will be an expected component of the process should the student ever find it necessary to petition the College regarding their academic status.
Staff Contact & Email: Student Academic Affairs Office, saao@education.illinois.edu
Website: https://education.illinois.edu/student-resources/undergraduate/undergra…
Enrichment Experience Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The Exploratory Studies Enrichment Experience Program (EEP) is an intensive support program for undeclared undergraduates who are exploring academic majors and career opportunities at Illinois. Participants benefit from working with a small advising team and engaging in a variety of curricular and networking opportunities that position them well to transition to their major.
Staff Contact & Email: Sarah Watson, sdwatson@illinois.edu
Website: https://explore.illinois.edu/enrichment-experience-program
LAS Access and Achievement Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: AAP is an academic support program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Our work surrounds three strategic pillars: recruitment/admissions, advising/retention, and engagement/leadership. Our mission is to provide students with a supportive learning environment where they can connect with university resources that complement their academic talents and help shape their academic paths and ambitions.
Staff Contact & Email: Kristy Valentin, kvalentn@illinois.edu
Mannie L. Jackson Illinois Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program; College of Applied Health Sciences Student Academic Affairs Office
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: I-LEAP provides support to undergraduates enrolled in the College of Applied Health Sciences who are first-generation students, students from underrepresented groups, student athletes, and those recognized by the President Awards Program (PAP) and Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Through bi-weekly one-on-one counseling, mentorship, workshops, academic skills development, leadership training, and referrals to resources, I-LEAP aims to increase student success at the University of Illinois and within the campus community.
Staff Contact & Email: Elizabeth Mason, mason6@illinois.edu
Website: https://ahs.illinois.edu/I-LEAP
Math Merit Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provide academic support and community within large introductory math courses required by STEM majors
Staff Contact & Email: Jennifer McNeilly, jrmcneil@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
McNair Scholars Program
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The program provides research, mentoring, advising, and graduate school preparation opportunities for eligible sophomores, juniors and seniors to promote their academic excellence and pursuit of a PhD. TRIO McNair Scholars engage in rigorous research with faculty mentors, attend relevant workshops and seminars, and commit to preparing themselves for doctoral studies following the completion of undergraduate studies.
Staff Contact & Email: Vincent Cunningham, vecunni1@illinois.edu
Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren, emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
Merit Program for Emerging Scholars in MCB
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The Merit Program recruits incoming freshman who will be taking intro courses in MCB, IB, CHEM, and/or MATH, who may be underrepresented in STEM majors. group of male students at a tableOne of our main goals in the Merit Program is to develop a community of scholars among the Merit students. The students in our program work together to solve difficult course problems, develop friendships based on common academic interests, and inspire each other to maintain a high level of commitment to excellence.
Staff Contact & Email: Alejandra Stenger, astenger@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu
New Voices Program: College of Media
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provides a paid communications internship for first gen students in the College of Media during their first year on campus.
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark, keclark@illinois.edu
Website: https://media.illinois.edu/
Student Support Services
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: TRIO SSS helps first generation students attend college. Support ranges from applying, attending, and pursuing higher education degrees.
Staff Contact & Email: Clare Leeds, cmpratt@illinois.edu
Financial Wellness
Experiential Learning Grant
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: Students are provided with a $1000 grant to be used toward experiential learning opportunities.
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark, keclark@illinois.edu
Fostering Opportunity, Community, and Unwavering Support for Underrepresented First-Generation Students
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: Fostering Opportunity, Community, and Unwavering Support for Underrepresented First-Generation Students (FOCUS) is an intensive semester-long program created to aid in eliminating the gap in post-graduation outcomes and starting salaries between underrepresented, first-generation students and their peers to positively impact their career trajectory, earnings potential, and economic security.
Staff Contact & Email: Arianna Agramonte Holterman, agramont@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/focus-program
LAS Scholarships; Emergency Funds, Lincoln Scholars Initiative
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: The LAS Emergency Fund provides financial assistance to LAS students in the event of an unplanned financial hardship or emergency. First-generation students may benefit from this support in times of crisis. The Lincoln Scholars Initiative offers scholarships to incoming Illinois residents with a demonstrated financial need. First-generation students benefit from this support.
Staff Contact & Email: Jonathan Elugbadebo, elugbadb@illinois.edu
Websites: https://las.illinois.edu/academics/scholarships ; https://las.illinois.edu/academics/scholarships/emergencyfund ; https://las.illinois.edu/giving/lincolnscholars/about
Scholarship Fund Growth
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: Increase scholarships for medical students
Staff Contact & Email: Jessica Breitbarth, jhbreit@illinois.edu
Website: https://medicine.illinois.edu/giving
Social Wellness
100 Strong
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Successful Recruitment & Retention of Black Students through the five pillars- Academic Success, Identity Exploration & Development, Professional Development, Sustained Engagement, and Service Learning & Civic Engagement
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
Alumni Mentoring Program: College of Media
Focus Student Population: Alumni
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: African American and Latinx students are invited to participate in an alumni mentoring program. They are matched with African American and Latinx alumni.
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark, keclark@illinois.edu
Website: https://media.illinois.edu/alumni/
Access and Engagement-Early Arrival Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: To assist with the successful transition from High School to the Gies College of Business
Staff Contact & Email: Jewell White, white7@illinois.edu
Website: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/undergraduate-hub/access-multicultura…
First Gen College Group
Focus Student Population: Graduate & Professional School
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Purpose of group is to support first gen students. Meet monthly to discuss issues like unwrittten rules of graduate schol. The program coordinator uses the information gathered from first gen students to change and improve program policies.
Staff Contact & Email: Michelle Tomaszycki/mlt10@illinois.edu
Website: N/A
First Generation College Student Day Celebration
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Encouraging students to take part in campus wide celebrations including email badges, office signs, social media posts, and newsletter.
Staff Contact & Email: Sarah Watson, sdwatson@illinois.edu
First-Gen Annual Campus Celebration
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: To celebrate first-gen students. To provide space for first-gen students to connect with other first-gen students and advisors.
Staff Contact & Email: Jennifer Mendez, firstgen@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
Food for the Soul
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Food for the Soul, part of the Lunch on Us series, is a weekly noontime discussion focused on topics relevant to the many communities globally within the African Diaspora and our allies.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
LAS Honors Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The LAS Honors program supports the James Scholar honors students within the College of LAS. The mission of the LAS Honors program is to empower students to be global citizens and global stewards, to enlighten them with deeper understanding of the diverse world in which they live, and to engage them with the core values and responsibilities of moving toward a sustainable future. Students in the LAS Honors Program—referred to as James Scholars—deepen their knowledge, skills, and passions through unique growth and enrichment opportunities.
Staff Contact & Email: Allison Holden, aholden@illinois.edu
MCB First Generation Appreciation Day
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Recognize and engage with our first gen students and help them learn about the success of other first gen students
Staff Contact & Email: None shared
Website: https://mcb.illinois.edu/
Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren, emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
Proud To Be First Resource Table
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The Gies Office of Career and Professional Development hosted a resource table in the BIF Lincoln International Atrium to increase awareness of career-specific resources such as CareerSpring and other campus resources to support first-generation students. In addition, students are able to voice how they are proud to be first through a postcard activity.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/
Shelley Ambassadors
Focus Student Population: Pre-matriculation
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Shelley ambassadors participate in outreach and recruitment activities throughout the year.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
Website: www.bnaacc.illinois.edu/programs/shelley-ambassadors
Where Black Media Lives
Focus Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Where Black Media Lives (WBML) is BNAACC’s student-led radio station. We invite students to engage in radio station programming and podcasting.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
First Gen Programs by Intended Audience
In this section, find First Gen programs sorted by the intended target audience of the program. Please note this list is not complete and may contain information for programs that are no longer active.
Pre-College
Application Workshops
Focus Student Population: Pre-college
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Virtual workshops for prospective HS students. A counselor walks through the admissions process and answers questions.
Staff Contact & Email: Doug Burgett, dburgett@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/visit/campus-visits/virtual-programs
LAS Recruitment & Admissions
Focus Student Population: Pre-college
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: LAS Recruitment & Admissions primarily collaborates with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and LAS academic departments, units, and programs to recruit, admit, yield, and enroll a diverse cohort of high-achieving first-year and transfer students to the College of LAS.
Staff Contact & Email: Jonathan Elugbadebo, elugbadb@illinois.edu
Website: https://las.illinois.edu/admissions
Shelley Ambassadors
Focus Student Population: Pre-college
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Ambassadors participate in outreach and recruitment activities
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
Website: www.bnaacc.illinois.edu/programs/shelley-ambassadors
The Circuit
Focus Student Population: Pre-college
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: The Circuit is a FREE early move-in experience for incoming Black students (both first-year and transfer) hosted by the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC). BNAACC’s mission invites support for the social, cultural, and academic well-being of Black students and Black heritage at Illinois. The Circuit embodies that mission by creating a safe and welcoming environment where our new students meet new friends, learn how to succeed at Illinois, and become a part of our wonderful community.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
1st Year Experiences
Access and Engagement-Early Arrival Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: To assist with the successful transition from High School to the Gies College of Business
Staff Contact & Email: Jewell White, white7@illinois.edu
CareerSpring
Focus Student Population: 1st-year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year and Beyond
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: CareerSpring is a non-profit organization supporting first-generation and low-income students by providing access to career information, a network of professionals, and job placement services, including exclusive internship/job opportunities. Gies College of Business is a partner of CareerSpring. The Gies Office of Career and Professional Development has worked to promote the platform and services to first-generation students in the college.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://careerspring.org/
Education Success Initiative
Education Success Initiative
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The Student Academic Affairs Office (SAAO) in the College of Education addresses all undergraduate student issues. It is the common goal of all SAAO personnel that each and every undergraduate student succeed in our college. To this end, the Education Success Initiative (ESI) was developed in the fall of 2007. The ESI program is designed to support students in their quest to succeed academically at the university level and reach their personal and academic goals.
Students meeting designated criteria will be invited to participate in ESI. The ESI Adviser meets individually with all ESI students at the beginning of the semester and a plan is established between the student and adviser that outlines agreed upon meeting dates and goals for the semester.
Once a student is recognized as a ESI candidate and participation is requested by the College, the student should realize their compliance will be an expected component of the process should the student ever find it necessary to petition the College regarding their academic status.
Staff Contact & Email: saao@education.illinois.edu
Website: https://education.illinois.edu/student-resources/undergraduate/undergra…
Enrichment Experience Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The DGS Enrichment Experience Program (EEP) is an intensive support program for undeclared undergraduates who are exploring academic majors and career opportunities at Illinois. Participants benefit from working with a small advising team and engaging in a variety of curricular and networking opportunities that position them well to transition to their major.
Staff Contact & Email: Sarah Watson, sdwatson@illinois.edu
Website: https://dgs.illinois.edu/enrichment-experience-program
First Generation College Student Day Celebration
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Encouraging students to take part in campus wide celebrations including email badges, office signs, social media posts, and newsletter.
Staff Contact & Email: Sarah Watson, sdwatson@illinois.edu
First Generation Resource Fair
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Partnership between OMSA/Jeffries Center and Library. Introduce students to different campus partners and their services that can help students in their time at UIUC.
Staff Contact & Email: Maria Emerson, memersn2@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
First-Gen Day with the College of FAA
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Raise awareness of first generations students, faculty and staff and connect our FAA community to the larger campus First Generation programming.
Staff Contact & Email: Reba Daniels, rebajoe@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWVzyxp5Dl/?img_index=1
Food for the Soul
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Food for the Soul, part of the Lunch on Us series, is a weekly noontime discussion focused on topics relevant to the many communities globally within the African Diaspora and our allies.
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton, hampton5@illinois.edu
LAS Access and Achievement Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: AAP is an academic support program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Our work surrounds three strategic pillars: recruitment/admissions, advising/retention, and engagement/leadership. Our mission is to provide students with a supportive learning environment where they can connect with university resources that complement their academic talents and help shape their academic paths and ambitions.
Staff Contact & Email: Kristy Valentin, kvalentn@illinois.edu
LAS First Year Experience
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: LAS 101 and 102 courses designed to help new students with transition at Illinois, LAS Lift-Off welcome celebration
Staff Contact & Email: Darrell Hunter, dkhunter@illinois.edu
Website: las.illinois.edu/resources/fye
LAS Honors Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The LAS Honors program supports the James Scholar honors students within the College of LAS. The mission of the LAS Honors program is to empower students to be global citizens and global stewards, to enlighten them with deeper understanding of the diverse world in which they live, and to engage them with the core values and responsibilities of moving toward a sustainable future. Students in the LAS Honors Program—referred to as James Scholars—deepen their knowledge, skills, and passions through unique growth and enrichment opportunities.
Staff Contact & Email: Allison Holden, aholden@illinois.edu
LAS Scholarships; Emergency Funds, Lincoln Scholars Initiative
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: The LAS Emergency Fund provides financial assistance to LAS students in the event of an unplanned financial hardship or emergency. First-generation students may benefit from this support in times of crisis. The Lincoln Scholars Initiative offers scholarships to incoming Illinois residents with a demonstrated financial need. First-generation students benefit from this support.
Staff Contact & Email: Jonathan Elugbadebo, elugbadb@illinois.edu
Websites:https://las.illinois.edu/academics/scholarships, https://las.illinois.edu/academics/scholarships/emergencyfund, https://las.illinois.edu/giving/lincolnscholars/about
Mannie L. Jackson Illinois Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program; College of Applied Health Sciences Student Academic Affairs Office
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: I-LEAP provides support to undergraduates enrolled in the College of Applied Health Sciences who are first-generation students, students from underrepresented groups, student athletes, and those recognized by the President Awards Program (PAP) and Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Through biweekly one-on-one counseling, mentorship, workshops, academic skills development, leadership training, and referrals to resources, I-LEAP aims to increase student success at the University of Illinois and within the campus community.
Staff Contact & Email: Elizabeth Mason, mason6@illinois.edu
Website: https://ahs.illinois.edu/I-LEAP
Math Merit Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provide academic support and community within large introductory math courses required by STEM majors
Staff Contact & Email: Jennifer McNeilly, jrmcneil@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren, emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
Chemistry Merit Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provide support in undergraduate chemistry service courses
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren, emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: http://merit.illinois.edu
Merit Program for Emerging Scholars in MCB
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The Merit Program recruits incoming freshman who will be taking intro courses in MCB, IB, CHEM, and/or MATH, who may be underrepresented in STEM majors. group of male students at a table. One of our main goals in the Merit Program is to develop a community of scholars among the Merit students. The students in our program work together to solve difficult course problems, develop friendships based on common academic interests, and inspire each other to maintain a high level of commitment to excellence.
Staff Contact & Email: Alejandra Stenger, astenger@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu; https://mcb.illinois.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/major-molecul…
New Voices Program: College of Media
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provides a paid communications internship for first gen students in the College of Media during their first year on campus.
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark, keclark@illinois.edu
Website: https://media.illinois.edu/
Proud To Be First Resource Table
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The Office of Career and Professional Development hosted a resource table in the BIF Lincoln International Atrium to increase awareness of career-specific resources such as CareerSpring and other campus resources to support first-generation students. In addition, students are able to voice what they are proud to be first at through a postcard activity.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/
Rhetoric Program
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: First-year writing program
Staff Contact & Email: Kristi McDuffie, kmcduff@illinois.edu
Website: https://english.illinois.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/rhetoric-p…
Scholarship Fund Growth
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: Increase scholarships for medical students
Staff Contact & Email: Jessica Breitbarth, jhbreit@illinois.edu
Website: https://medicine.illinois.edu/giving
Strong StArt Program; College of Fine and Applied Arts Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Offers support for selected incoming freshmen in FAA. It was designed to help new students make a smooth transition from high school to college life.
Staff Contact & Email: Reba Daniels, rebajoe@illinois.edu
Website: https://faa.illinois.edu/student-resources/current-students/academic-af…
TRIO Student Support Services
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: TRIO SSS helps first generation students attend college, from applying, attending, and pursuing higher degrees.
Staff Contact & Email: Clare Leads, cmpratt@illinois.edu
Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering (Grainger College of Engineering)
Focus Student Population: 1st-year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Provide STEM Outreach to Pre-College students. This include summer camp scholarships for historically underrepresented students in STEM and partnerships with community organizations serving these same populations. Students, staff, and faculty provide science and engineering content and activities for K-12 students, teachers, and families.
Staff Contact & Email: Lara Herbert, lhebert2@illinois.edu
Website: https://wyse.grainger.illinois.edu/
2nd Year Experiences
100 Strong
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Successful Recruitment & Retention of Black Students through the five pillars- Academic Success, Identity Exploration & Development, Professional Development, Sustained Engagement, and Service Learning & Civic Engagement
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: Likely 95%
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton hampton5@illinois.edu
CareerSpring
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: CareerSpring is a non-profit organization supporting first-generation and low-income students by providing access to career information, a network of professionals, and job placement services, including exclusive internship/job opportunities. Gies is a partner of CareerSpring. The Office of Career and Professional Development has worked to promote the platform and services to first-generation students in the college.
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: Confirm Impact: Last year, several first-generation Gies students successfully found internships through the partnership. Potential Reach: Currently, there are 640 first-generation students in the undergraduate population in addition to the number of firs
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://careerspring.org/
Experiential Learning Grant
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: Students are provided with a $1000 grant to be used toward experiential learning opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria: Students cannot use the fund until their sophomore year, and must be a College of Media student when they use the scholarship.
Total Students Served: 5-10 per year
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark keclark@illinois.edu
First Generation Resource Fair
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Partnership between OMSA/Jeffries Center and Library. Introduce students to different campus partners and their services that can help students in their time at UIUC
Eligibility Criteria: Students whose parents did not go to college
Total Students Served: Unknown
Staff Contact & Email: Maria Emerson/memersn2@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
First-Gen Celebration
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: To celebrate first-gen students. To provide space for first-gen students to connect with other first-gen students and advisors.
Eligibility Criteria: First-gen students
Total Students Served: Unknown
Staff Contact & Email: Dara Lawyer/dpl@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
FOCUS
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Financial Wellness
Description: FOCUS is an intensive semester-long program created to aid in eliminating the gap in post-graduation outcomes and starting salaries between underrepresented, first-generation students and their peers to positively impact their career trajectory, earnings potential, and economic security.
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: 40
Staff Contact & Email: Arianna Agramonte Holterman agramont@illinois.edu
Website: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/focus-program
LAS Access and Achievement Program
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: AAP is an academic support program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Our work surrounds three strategic pillars: recruitment/admissions, advising/retention, and engagement/leadership. Our mission is to provide students with a supportive learning environment where they can connect with university resources that complement their academic talents and help shape their academic paths and ambitions. Following are specific initiatives within our strategic pillars: -AAP recruitment& yield: admission into AAP Undeclared, participation in the Salute to Academic Achievement, New Illini Kickoff yield workshop, LAS liftoff, recruitment into the Illinois Scholars Program, onboarding student success modules, intensive orientation experience including pre- and post- individual consultations. -AAP Advising/Retention: intensive advising model for LAS Undeclared, students on academic probation, LAS 112: first year experience for undeclared students, AAP Supported courses lineup -AAP Engagement: AAP + SIB Summer Research Fellowship, AAP in Costa Rica language completion program, My Auntie’s House, Blackwell Scholarship recruitment and sponsorship, Black/Latinx Congratulatory staff volunteers, graduate cord outreach.
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served:
Staff Contact & Email: Kristy Valentin kvalentn@illinois.edu
LAS Honors Program
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The LAS Honors program supports the James Scholar honors students within the College of LAS. The mission of the LAS Honors program is to empower students to be global citizens and global stewards, to enlighten them with deeper understanding of the diverse world in which they live, and to engage them with the core values and responsibilities of moving toward a sustainable future. Students in the LAS Honors Program—referred to as James Scholars—deepen their knowledge, skills, and passions through unique growth and enrichment opportunities. This program is comprised of the top 8-9% of the College of LAS, which is about 1,100 students annually. Students enter the LAS Honors program through one of three ways: 1.) Students receive LAS Honors invitation to join the LAS Honors program upon their admissions to the University of Illinois. 2.) Students can self-nominate during June to join the program for the upcoming academic year if they have a 3.3+ GPA and at least 2 years of course work remaining. 3.) Honors students on campus who complete the Intercollegiate Transfer process into the College of LAS transfer their honors status with them.
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served:
Staff Contact & Email: Allison Holden aholden@illinois.edu
Math Merit
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Provide academic support and community within large introductory math courses required by STEM majors
Eligibility Criteria: Application data
Total Students Served: Approx. 250 first gen students (about half of total students)
Staff Contact & Email: Jennifer McNeilly/jrmcneil@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
MCB First Generation Appreciation Day
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Recognize and engage with our first gen students and help them learn about the success of other first gen students
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: 337
Staff Contact & Email:
Website: https://mcb.illinois.edu/
McNair Scholars Program
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: The program provides research, mentoring, advising, and graduate school preparation opportunities for eligible sophomores, juniors and seniors to promote their academic excellence and pursuit of a PhD. TRIO McNair Scholars engage in rigorous research with faculty mentors, attend relevant workshops and seminars, and commit to preparing themselves for doctoral studies following the completion of undergraduate studies.
Eligibility Criteria: Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States. Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at the U of I. Must have completed freshman year. Undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 2.85. Be a member of a group underrepres
Total Students Served: 36 Annually
Staff Contact & Email: Jari Minnett jminnett@illinois.edu
Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: Merit Mentoring and Professional Network Program
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: 94 Participants; 36 mentors and 20 students paired with paid UG research
Staff Contact & Email: Elise McCarren emccarr2@illinois.edu
Website: https://merit.illinois.edu/mpn/
Proud To Be First Resource Table
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The Office of Career and Professional Development hosted a resource table in the BIF Lincoln International Atrium to increase awareness of career-specific resources such as CareerSpring and other campus resources to support first-generation students. In addition, students are able to voice what they are proud to be first at through a postcard activity.
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served: 25
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/
WBML
Target Student Population: 2nd Year
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: WBML (Where Black Media Lives) is BNAACC’s student-led radio station. We invite students to engage in radio station programming and podcasting
Eligibility Criteria:
Total Students Served:
Staff Contact & Email: Shawn Hampton hampton5@illinois.edu
3rd Year and Beyond
CareerSpring
Focus Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: CareerSpring is a non-profit organization supporting first-generation and low-income students by providing access to career information, a network of professionals, and job placement services, including exclusive internship/job opportunities. Gies is a partner of CareerSpring. The Office of Career and Professional Development has worked to promote the platform and services to first-generation students in the college.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://careerspring.org/
First Generation Resource Fair
Focus Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Partnership between OMSA/Jeffries Center and Library. Introduce students to different campus partners and their services that can help students in their time at UIUC.
Staff Contact & Email: Maria Emerson, memersn2@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
First Generation Resource Fair
Focus Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Get Oriented
Description: Partnership between OMSA/Jeffries Center and Library. Introduce students to different campus partners and their services that can help students in their time at UIUC
Staff Contact & Email: Maria Emerson, memersn2@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
First-Gen Annual Campus Celebration
Target Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: To celebrate first-gen students. To provide space for first-gen students to connect with other first-gen students and advisors.
Staff Contact & Email: Jennifer Mendez, firstgen@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
LAS Access and Achievement Program
Target Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Academic Wellness
Description: AAP is an academic support program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Our work surrounds three strategic pillars: recruitment/admissions, advising/retention, and engagement/leadership. Our mission is to provide students with a supportive learning environment where they can connect with university resources that complement their academic talents and help shape their academic paths and ambitions.
Staff Contact & Email: Kristy Valentin, kvalentn@illinois.edu
LAS Honors Program
Target Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The LAS Honors program supports the James Scholar honors students within the College of LAS. The mission of the LAS Honors program is to empower students to be global citizens and global stewards, to enlighten them with deeper understanding of the diverse world in which they live, and to engage them with the core values and responsibilities of moving toward a sustainable future. Students in the LAS Honors Program—referred to as James Scholars—deepen their knowledge, skills, and passions through unique growth and enrichment opportunities.
Staff Contact & Email: Allison Holden, aholden@illinois.edu
Proud To Be First Resource Table
Target Student Population: 3rd year and beyond
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: The Office of Career and Professional Development hosted a resource table in the BIF Lincoln International Atrium to increase awareness of career-specific resources such as CareerSpring and other campus resources to support first-generation students. In addition, students are able to voice what they are proud to be first at through a postcard activity.
Staff Contact & Email: Nehemiah Scott, nehemiah@illinois.edu
Website: https://firstgen.illinois.edu/
Graduate and Professional Students
Education First Gen College Group
Focus Student Population: Graduate & Professional School
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Regularly scheduled lunch programs in support of first-generation graduate students.
Staff Contact & Email: Lori Fuller, harvey1@illinois.edu
Website: https://education.illinois.edu/
Neuroscience First Gen College Group
Focus Student Population: Graduate & Professional School
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: Purpose of group is to support first gen students. Meet monthly to discuss issues like unwritten rules of graduate school. The program coordinator uses the information gathered from first gen students to change and improve program policies.
Staff Contact & Email: Michelle Tomaszycki, mlt10@illinois.edu
Website: https://neuroscience.illinois.edu/
Alumni
Alumni Mentoring Program: College of Media
Target Student Population: Alumni
Program Category: Social Wellness
Description: African American and Latinx students are invited to participate in an alumni mentoring program. They are matched with African American and Latinx alumni.
Staff Contact & Email: Katie Clark, keclark@illinois.edu
Website: https://media.illinois.edu/alumni/