Proud to Be First

Proud to Be First is an initiative created to celebrate the values, unique perspectives, and accomplishments of first-generation college students at St. Norbert College.

What is a First-Generation Student?
To be considered a first-generation student, your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not earn a four-year degree in the United States. About 46 percent of the SNC incoming class of 2023, as well as many faculty and staff members, identify as first-generation.

The need for first-generation student support is important and necessary work. The Center for First-Generation Student Success captures why this support is so crucial:

“Ultimately, the term ‘first-generation’ implies the possibility that a student may lack the critical cultural capital necessary for college success because their parents did not attend college. While first-generation students are often quite academically skilled and contribute in many ways to a campus community, navigating the tangled web of college policies, procedures, jargon, and expectations can be a challenge. This pervasive ‘hidden curriculum’ can damage the confidence of first-generation students, lead to struggles in belonging, and result in departure. This opens an opportunity for institutions to provide additional support for these students so they may be as competitive and successful as their peers.”

Proud to Be First is advised by the Special Populations Retention Team and organized by the Office of Student Inclusion and Belonging 

Contact Us
Student Inclusion and Belonging studentinclusion@snc.edu
	Kristin Espinar Assistant Director of Student Inclusion and Belonging   kristin.espinar@snc.edu
	Alecia Hanold Data Analyst, Office of Institutional Effectiveness alecia.hanold@snc.edu