The First Generation Student Initiatives Team strives to empower first generation students with the resources, knowledge, and support network to successfully graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Guiding Pillars: Empower. Engage. Elevate. 

Vision: Our team will empower you to amplify your existing strengths, encourage you to engage with a dynamic network of supportive campus partners, and work to elevate first generation identity visibility across all areas of our university.

We are Illinois. We are #ProudtobeFirstGen.

FGSI Stories of Impact

• In 2025, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was recognized as a national leader in advancing first-generation student success. Read more in our feature article and explore First Gen Forward's map of national network champions. 
• Check out our Illinois News Bureau article that highlighted a newly launched pilot First Generation Scholars Research Program, a direct collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Research and Jeffries Center FGSI.
• During Spring 2025, our campus introduced “ACES 298: Bridging Sustainable and Professional Development Goals in Panamá.” Through the collaboration and dedication of staff across campus, 20 first-generation Illinois students had the experience of a lifetime. Click this link to the feature article published by Illinois Advancement. 
• According to the latest enrollment data for Fall 2024, "more than 1 in 5 incoming students is a first-generation college student, making up 22% of the freshman class." Read more about the historic incoming class here.  
• Check out our feature article by Student Affairs which commemorates the launch of our inaugural First Gen Week @ Illinois for Fall 2024. 
• In 2022, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was named a First Gen forward institution. Read more about the announcement here. 

FGSI Program Learning Outcomes

• First generation students will be able to connect with individuals from multinational backgrounds and participate in activities with global implications. 
• First generation students will be able to identify communities on campus that reflect and/or uplift their intersectional identities.
• First generation students will be able to build and maintain relationships with faculty, staff and peers as part of the Illinois community. 
• First generation students will develop professional and leadership skills. 

FGSI First Gen Campus Definition

• Our team follows the federal definition of first-generation status indicating that neither parent nor guardians have earned at least a bachelor's degree. We will still consider you First Gen if you have siblings who are enrolled or have previously graduated from college. We also consider you First Gen if your parents have earned an associate's degree. (Definition source: Campus Profile Glossary, Division of Management Information)