Gabriela Alvarez ’28 built her ������Ƶ experience around connection, opportunity and identity. As a first-generation college student, she has embraced campus communities that strengthen her character while also discovering her passion for strategic communications.

In her junior year of high school in Westchester, New York, Alvarez signed up for the Immersion experience through the Emerging Journalists Program at ������Ƶ, where she was flown to ������Ƶ for a week to gain experience in her passion for news and broadcasting. Before the program, ������Ƶ had not been on Alvarez’s radar.

“The program changed my view of ������Ƶ. I had a really good time and connected with the professors and the cohort I was in. So, I decided to come see ������Ƶ as a result,” said Alvarez, who notes communications faculty Colin Donohue, Kelly Furnas and Israel Balderas were influential in her experience.

Her campus tour was on Homecoming & Reunion weekend, where she spoke up about her interest in journalism, which resulted in the tour guide encouraging her to explore the newsroom. There, she was able to chat with alumni from the School of Communications, who shared their positive experiences from their time at ������Ƶ.

After touring the communications facilities and connecting with these alumni, she knew ������Ƶ was the place for her.

Her first year here, Alvarez was a journalism major, and joining Live Oak Communications Agency became a turning point in her communications career. After contributing to the agency, Alvarez realized her passions aligned more with the strategic communications major.

“I fell in love with agency life. I liked strategic communications better because there was more creative freedom for me. I enjoy helping businesses that are someone’s life’s work, blossom even further,” she said.

As a part of the Communications Fellows cohort, Alvarez was able to attend a Winter Term Florida trip in her first year. She notes that this trip gave her the opportunity to explore different fields within communications, which reinforced her passion for strategic communications.

“I think the Fellows is an amazing program. It’s given me some of my best friends, and it opened doors for me to connect with professors,” said Alvarez. “I’m so glad I met Professor (Vanessa) Bravo through a Communications Fellows networking event because, like me, she is Hispanic, and that’s very important to my identity. I connected with her, and I joined the Unity in Communications club that helped me connect with other people who are interested in diversity in the communications world.”

Alvarez is also a proud first-generation college student. As the secretary for ������Ƶ’s First-Generation Society, she is consistently making the most out of the opportunities offered to her.

“I really love being first-generation,” she said. “It’s a big part of my identity. I try to do as much as I can to make my parents proud and make their sacrifices worth it.”

In addition, she is also a Bill and Sue Smith Odyssey Scholar. Through attending workshops on financial literacy, discussions on how to stay motivated, and even mental health checks.

“Odyssey has pushed me to be a better person and a better leader who is not afraid to ask for help or try new things. I’ve become more aware of how to succeed in the future, and I feel prepared for post-graduate,” she said.

Through the many communities and cohorts Alvarez is committed to, she has found belonging and purpose on ������Ƶ’s campus.

“I think being a part of these communities, like Odyssey, First Phoenix and Unity in Communications, is a way for me to stay true to myself,” she explained. “I grew up in a Hispanic-centered community, so coming to a predominantly white institution was a bit intimidating, but joining these communities helped me connect to others who have similar backgrounds and qualities as me. It’s important to stay true to the characteristics that are important to you and what makes you, you.”

Her scholarships have been a “weight off her shoulders” throughout her experience at ������Ƶ, allowing her the opportunity to see her dreams realized.

“Being able to tell my family they don’t have to worry so much about me and that I’ve worked hard in school and will continue to work hard is very rewarding. I’m very proud of myself. I’m proud to make my parents happy,” she said. “I’m willing to fight for dreams and fight for what I’m passionate about, and my scholarships have made that possible for me.”

“Everything Sad Is Untrue” by Daniel Nayeri. It’s a family history novel rooted in the folktales of “One Thousand and One Nights” and explains how his family became refugees. It’s a really engaging novel with tales of heartbreak and resilience.

What is your favorite phone app?

Threads. I enjoy never knowing what you’ll find and getting to read people’s stories. One recent Thread was about a family group chat that exploded over wedding invitations — a cousin didn’t invite one relative’s partner of eight years but did invite another’s partner of six months. The Thread chronicled the tense family meeting that followed, and the eventual group chat meltdown. The most jaw-dropping fact: It was all a promotional moment for the author’s book. You never know.

If you could invite someone from history to dinner, who would it be?

I would invite two people — Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. They were friends but had a messy friendship breakup, chronicled in the podcast “Our Ancestors Were Messy.” I would like to have dinner, just to see or get the gist of what happened and why their friendship ended.

What is your favorite place on campus?

The bench outside of Powell that looks straight across the fountain in front of Alamance. I’ve sat there on stressful days and sunny days, and in shared moments with students to talk about some hard things related to academics. It’s also a peaceful spot where you can sit, see the trees and listen to the water in the fountain.

When first-gen students leave ������Ƶ, what do you hope they carry with them — not just professionally, but personally?

I hope they leave with a sense of community. It might be two people; it might be one. But I want them to understand what community looks like and how to build it as they move through life. A job, diploma, paycheck or whatever material things we use to measure “status” won’t keep you grounded when life gets hard or offer a warm meal or a hug when you need it. Community will. Yes, I want them to graduate and accomplish amazing things, but more than anything, I hope they value building and sustaining community.

The Expo is one of the largest cross-campus collaborations in the spring. Representatives from the Student Professional Development Center, Undergraduate Research, the Global Education Center, and many more showcased resources and information on how they can help students develop meaningful relationships and achieve their goals.

“These departments actually like to communicate with you and tell you what opportunities they have and how they’re all connected,” said Melanie Alcaron ’29.

Students were able to see the connections through a pathway card that guided them to resources around personal, professional, and academic development. The pathways were designed to align with functions and characteristics of supportive relationships during college, based on research from Director of the Center for Engaged Learning Jessie Moore, Senior Associate Provost Emeritus Tim Peeples and Professor of Psychology Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler. Their work draws on a comprehensive study of mentoring constellations at ������Ƶ and national surveys.

Event planners collaborated with the Maker Hub to create interactive versions of the Relationship Rich Map, which is a tool developed by the team of mentoring scholars above. Sabrina Perkins, associate professor of psychology, has collaborated with the Center for Access & Success to plan and coordinate this event since its inception in 2022. Perkins led student attendees through mapping their supportive relationships using the boards.

“When students are encouraged to map their supportive relationships in tandem, they may be better able to recognize where in their lives connections are flourishing, while also noticing what types of supports they are missing, or want to deepen,” said Perkins.

Berenice Sanchez-Rosaldo ’29 found the maps to be an eye-opening experience.

“I feel like my friends and family have helped me a lot, and a place where I can really grow is with professors. I feel like I could expand my horizons there and really form a stronger connection,” she said. “Overall, this expo has helped me a lot in really going in depth on myself and what I can do better here at ������Ƶ.”

Sanchez-Rosaldo’s main takeaway was to take advantage of everything that’s on campus: “All of the support that you have here. It can be from academic to personal.”

As the event came to a close, participants were treated to a special performance from Melonated Melodies, ������Ƶ’s predominantly Black a cappella group, who talked about the importance of building relationships within student organizations. Through conversations, activities, and shared experiences, students left not only with more connections but also with a deeper understanding of how relationships can shape their success at ������Ƶ

“Since we were birds of a feather, I figured ������Ƶ would be a good choice for me. I was right,” said Guidi of Cesari.

Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Guidi committed to ������Ƶ on a biology pre-med track. However, after her first semester, she realized that the pre-med track didn’t align with her artistic interests, and she needed a change.

Now, Guidi is a communications design major with a minor in professional writing studies.

“I’ve always been walking the line between arts and sciences, and I’m very ‘artsy fartsy,’ as my father would lovingly describe it. I just wasn’t sure that I could make my art a marketable skill,” Guidi said.

With her interest in mixed media arts, classical training in oil painting and freelance graphic design gigs, she was led to study at the School of Communications.

“With the communications program, I thought this is something where I can do art, but I can also get a job in marketing,” she said.

Guidi describes her first year as starting out “rocky”, where she struggled to find her purpose. Through her on-campus job at the Center for Design Thinking, she met Aaron Chan ’26, an accomplished cinema and television arts major.

One afternoon, Chan was running a meeting with friends and those interested in working on a personal short film project. Guidi, sitting in this meeting, only because it was hosted by her friends, was shocked to be tasked with writing the script for the short film.

“I got so close with all of the people that I worked with on the project,” said Guidi. “I offered my artistry through my work on the poster, social media and writing the script.” It was a project that led her to “discover a passion for creative storytelling and creative collaboration.”

The film titled “Sour Note” was produced by Seismic Studios, an independent production company created by a group of cinema and television arts students on campus. The film ended up being submitted at 11:59 p.m., right before the Cin������Ƶ submission deadline. The film went on to be shown in Berlin at the FilmHaus festival, won three awards, and has been a finalist, or official selection, in five others.

Taking on the film project was not a task she thought would be possible.

“Had I not met that group of people and gotten a sense of belonging that rekindled my love for ������Ƶ and everything it stood for, I was thinking of withdrawing from the university,” said Guidi.

Her newfound sense of belonging and artistic motivations gave Guidi the drive to achieve even more during her time at ������Ƶ. She is currently building ������Ƶ’s AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) student group, a graphic design club with a nationwide network of talented students.

After the club’s executive team graduated, Delaney was selected by staff to continue the club’s legacy.

“This club is something that I was really looking for in my freshman and sophomore years,” Guidi said. “I really wanted a club and a community, and I was struggling to find it. So then, when I fell into that position, I said, now I can make this happen for other students. That’s what drives me.”

Now a leader of the organization, she wants to foster mentorship that she felt she wasn’t involved in previously.

“It’s helping me with graphic design as I’m helping other people develop themselves, all while fostering a community,” she said.

Off campus, she worked for LabCorp for two summers, starting with blog marketing and moving to a more graphic design-focused role in her second summer. Her supervisor was even an ������Ƶ alum.

“I now have a better sense of self than when I started,” said Guidi of her growth at ������Ƶ. “I was so unsure of my every move, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wasn’t sure where my passions were.”

As she worked to put herself out there and take advantage of ������Ƶ’s many opportunities, Guidi started to foster stronger relationships with professors, enter and place in graphic design competitions, and even win awards for her e-portfolio site.

“It all helped me determine who I am, what I value, and what I want to do. Now I’m more confident,” said Guidi.

She reflects on her Bevier Family Internship Restricted Annual Fund scholarship: “None of this would have happened if not for the scholarships that I’ve received.”

Guidi brings the story full circle, noting her “freshman blues” before she found her purpose on ������Ƶ’s campus.

“Because of that extra aid and extra generosity that I received, I got space to grow. I got the privilege of struggling with my identity in my first year so that I could later become more confident and figure out who I was,” she said.

Guidi encourages donors to look at the work the student they are sponsoring is producing.

“Go look at that short film that has won awards. Look at that. That is an accomplishment that, in a way, you can take a little bit of credit for, because you made it possible, you gave them the tools, you allowed them to do those things.”

First-generation students are leaders, scholars, activists and creators. The growth of these individuals contributes to ������Ƶ’s shared story. At ������Ƶ, a student is a first-generation college student if neither parent/legal guardian has earned a bachelor’s degree from an institution within the United States. A student is still considered to be a first-generation college student even if a sibling has already completed a four-year college degree.

The first-generation celebration kicks off on Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 14. Nov. 8 is National First-Generation College Student Celebration Day, which honors the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded access to higher education for young people from historically marginalized backgrounds.

This year’s celebration is intentionally designed to share and reflect on all those that make up this wonderful community. A day or a week does not give enough time for all the accomplishments happening on and off our campus. If you have any questions, contact the first-generation student support team at firstgen@elon.edu.

To stay up to date, follow the First-Generation Student Support Services on Facebook or Instagram by following @elonfirstgens.

Upcoming Events

Ongoing: Early November: Take A First-Gen Student to Lunch

First-generation students and faculty/staff can be paired to get lunch together throughout the celebration. Folks will get an email from the First-Gen team with more information about how to participate..

Tuesday, Oct. 21

First Gen & Me | 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Irazú Coffee

Held in collaboration with the Odyssey Scholars Program, participants will reflect on their first-generation story through art. First-Generation Student Support Services will have an open tab for participants.

Wednesday, Nov. 6

Roundtable Discussion on Imposter Syndrome | 12:30 p.m. | ������Ƶ Law School

The First-Gen Society will host a roundtable lunch session focusing on imposter syndrome and career journeys with Law School faculty and staff. For more information reach out to the First-Gen Society at ������Ƶ Law

Thursday Nov. 6

International Coffee Hour Takeover | 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. | Global Education Center (Sato Commons 3rd Floor)

Friday, Nov.  7

Mobile Celebration Cart | 1 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Around campus

The First-Gen team will be riding around campus with free coffee, chai, a chance to win some special first-generation giveaways, and a few special guests. Pay attention to our Instagram page @elonfirstgens for updates on locations.

Go GOLD for First-Gen 

We invite all members of the campus community to wear Gold on Friday, Nov. 7, to symbolize support for first-generation students and programs that aim to empower students to reach their highest potential

Saturday, Nov. 8

First-Gen Tailgate | Global Neighborhood

Stop by our breakfast-themed tailgate before ������Ƶ takes on Rhode Island.

Thursday, Nov. 13

First-Gen Plus Poster Gallery | 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. | Moseley

Engage with the stories of first-generation students, faculty, and staff at this interactive poster session.

All new students are provided a free digital copy of the book before coming to ������Ƶ and are invited to attend the author’s keynote address, but for Campoverdi’s event, part of the ������Ƶ Speaker Series, she wanted to do something different.

“I purposely am not behind a podium,” said Campoverdi. “I’m not an expert on being first gen, you all are experts as much as I am an expert on being a first and only. You’re an expert on whatever thresholds you’re crossing. So, I’m not here to lecture anyone on this experience, I’m here to have a conversation with you all.”

And a conversation was had for more than an hour as several students asked questions of Campoverdi about her experiences as a first-generation college student, her work as an aide in the Obama administration and the process of writing her book.

Between the bullet points

The memoir details Campoverdi’s life as a “child of welfare,” born to an immigrant single mother in Los Angeles, who went on to be White House aide, Harvard graduate and a candidate for U.S. Congress. In 2024, Campoverdi also founded the First Gen Fund, a non-profit that provides unrestricted hardship grants to first-generation students.

“When I would be invited to schools and someone would read my bio, and it would be all the bullet points and it sounded so shiny and glossy and linear, and it made so much sense what I did, and then I did that, I knew that wasn’t the full story,” she said. “I knew that the spaces between those bullet points were actually the real story, and that looked very different.”

Omar Illesca Reyes ’27, a Labcorp-Alamance Scholar in the Odyssey Program and ������Ƶ Academy mentor, sat on stage with Campoverdi, alongside Selma Maric ‘27, who introduced Campoverdi; Kenneth Brown, assistant director of First-Generation Student Support Services; and Paula Patch, senior lecturer in English and associate director for in the ������Ƶ Core Curriculum. Illesca Reyes asked Campoverdi about feelings of “imposter syndrome” as a first-generation student and in her later roles.

“All of us at some point are going to find ourselves in a space where people might not relate to where we come from and what we’ve experienced,” said Campoverdi. “And you noticing that and not feeling good about that, doesn’t all go into a bucket of feeling like an imposter. She added, “Let yourself clock it and not make that mean something bad about you, because it doesn’t.”

Illesca Reyes reflected that getting to speak with Campoverdi was personal and emotional.

“The struggles are real for a first-generation student, and it’s nice that a light is being shone on them,” said Illesca Reyes, who is studying engineering. “I felt like I was being heard throughout the book, and I felt myself in her shoes multiple times.”

‘Be it all unapologetically’

In her memoir, Campoverdi reflects on the “contradictory extremes” of her life, from being a gang member’s girlfriend to working in the White House, arguing that all of those extremes can exist together.

“Some of us are complicated,” Campoverdi said in response to a student question about finding belonging in multiple spaces. “Own all of these things together at the same time. I sit on stages all the time, and people ask me, ‘What would you say to 16-year-old Alejandra who was dating that guy? What would you tell her now from where you are?’ And I said ‘She’s right here. I’m the same me.’ So stop trying to find the answer. There’s no answer. Just be it all unapologetically.”

Her memoir also works to “shatter the one-dimensional glossy narrative” about what it takes to achieve the American Dream. She notes it was harder to get from her childhood to college than from college to the White House.

“I’ve experienced the American dream,” she said, as a student asked her response to the concept. “I believe education is the driver of the American dream for many of us. It isn’t the only way, but it is for most of us.”

Campoverdi spent the day at ������Ƶ, including hosting a storytelling workshop for students and faculty, in collaboration with the Center for Access and Success. Her openness for conversation resonated with students like Daniella Alonzo Lopez ’28, a scholar in the Odyssey Program, who received the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship.

“Sometimes along the journey, you think you’re navigating all of this by yourself, but there’s truly a community of people,” said Alonzo Lopez ’28, a marketing and business analytics double major. “I’m always looking for mentors and people to encourage me and inspire me to continue. So I’m glad to be here and hear her. Getting to meet her was almost like an older sister.”

Redefine success

As Campoverdi heard from students focusing on her success as a first-generation student, she encouraged them to also think about how success can be more than just what’s on paper.

“You can be the first generation to go to college or the first generation to have a professional job or break a cycle, the first generation to move across the country or the first generation to X,Y, Z,” said Campoverdi. “But being the first generation to break the cycle of living in survival mode is just as important. Being the first generation to not live in fight or flight is just as important. Being the first generation to allow yourself balance and rest, that’s important, too.”

“I’ve experienced the American dream. I believe education is the driver of the American dream for many of us. It isn’t the only way, but it is for most of us.”

Alejandra Campoverdi, award-winning author of “First Gen”

She ended the event by reminding students about how far they’ve come in their lives and encouraged them to continue being vulnerable as it can serve as a “connective tissue.”

“When I look out in this room, I see a lot of people who have a lot in common, and I think that’s more important than ever. So keep telling your stories, keep turning towards that vulnerability. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you strong and it will ultimately make you a better professional,” Campoverdi said.

AJF has a long history of investing in ������Ƶ community members. Established through the generosity of the late Alfred Johnston “A.J.” Fletcher, founder of Capitol Broadcasting, Co., the organization is dedicated to uplifting nonprofits statewide with an emphasis on arts and education. The Foundation has historically supported ������Ƶ through the (no longer active) Fletcher Music Scholars and the A.J. Fletcher Professorship in the School of Communications, established in 1991.

This spring, the foundation renewed their support to ������Ƶ with a generous investment in First-Generation initiatives at ������Ƶ. Inspired by the work being done to support and improve outcomes among first-generation students at ������Ƶ, this grant honors the foundation’s continued support of Kenneth Brown Jr. ’19, assistant director of the center for access and success, First-Generation Student Support Services at ������Ƶ.

A first-generation student himself, Brown’s time as an ������Ƶ undergraduate was transformative. Brown got engaged in as many ways as possible, taking full advantage of the ������Ƶ experiences made possible by his Odyssey Scholarship.

Along with earning a bachelor’s degree in human service studies, Brown studied abroad in Scotland, worked for the Center for Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Education (CREDE), served as student body president for the 2018-19 academic year and much more.  Immediately following his ������Ƶ graduation, Brown completed a two-year fellowship with AJF, where he reported directly to the foundation’s executive director, Damon Circosta. During his fellowship, Brown navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside his foundation colleagues. Despite the forces keeping them isolated during this time, Brown formed deeply meaningful relationships with the foundation.

After his fellowship, Brown attended graduate school at Indiana University before returning to ������Ƶ to lead the first-generation initiatives in the Center for Access and Success.

“I decided to return to ������Ƶ to play a role in initiatives that deeply shaped who I am,” Brown said. “There were faculty and staff members who listened to me, gave me advice, and supported me in the tough moments of my ������Ƶ experience. I wanted to be that staff member for students currently.”

Since returning to ������Ƶ in 2023, Brown has made an indelible impact. Under Brown’s leadership, ������Ƶ has been named a FirstGen Forward Network Champion Campus, a national distinction that recognizes institutions that are leading the way in advancing first-generation student success. Now, the foundation that invested in Brown once, has doubled down. With a $50,000 grant to support First-Generation Student Support Services, AJF is empowering Brown to shape this program, and provide for the needs of this unique population of students.

“Their support means the world on both a professional and personal level,” he said. “The grant will provide us with the capacity to enhance some of our current offerings, like our mentoring program, our celebrations and how we might support students while also providing us with a little more capacity to be creative and dream about experiences we could try with first-generation students.”

Elle Collins, executive director of the Center for Access and Success, also recognizes the power of this investment.

“The A.J. Fletcher Foundation grant represents a transformative opportunity to build on the strong foundation Brown has established,” Collins said. “With this support, our efforts will extend beyond our center to tap into the wisdom of ������Ƶ’s global alumni network, creating powerful intergenerational connections and career pathways. This kind of intentional, inclusive work reflects the broader impact of [Brown’s] leadership and the potential of the AJ Fletcher Foundation grant to scale it.”

This grant also opens the door for First-Generation Initiatives to pilot and test new programs and ideas in a way that the program has not experienced since its inception in 2019.

“With these new resources, we are poised not only to expand what we offer, but to more fully realize a vision where every first-generation student at ������Ƶ is empowered, connected and celebrated,” said Collins.

None of this would have been possible were it not for Brown’s appreciation of meaningful connections, a value that was instilled in him as an ������Ƶ undergraduate.

“AJF remains one of the top working experiences I have had, from working there and having Damon’s friendship,” he said. “To have them be invested in your success, even to the level of supporting our work is a testament to the power of relationships.”

Events such as the First-Generation Stole Ceremony, Celebremos!: Graduates Take Flight, Donning of the Kente, and Lavender Graduation highlighted the resilience of students from many backgrounds and experiences.

“These students faced additional layers of complexity throughout their time at ������Ƶ, and they exemplify resilience, commitment and conviction,” said Professor Vanessa Bravo, assistant dean in the School of Communications. “Graduating from college is a wonderful accomplishment in itself, and the School of Communications is immensely proud of these individuals – and all of our graduating seniors.”

First-Generation Stole Ceremony
May 21, McKinnon Hall

Honoring the accomplishments of first-generation college students, this event celebrated those who were the first in their families to earn a college degree. School of Communications honorees:

• Jason N. Adama-Tettey, Communication Design
• Chase Augustus, Sport Management
• Jenivee Bevan, Cinema & Television Arts
• Alexis Cooper, Journalism
• Laker Figueroa, Sport Management
• Hailey Gardiner, Cinema & Television Arts
• Uwera Izabayo, Cinema & Television Arts
• Jayla Martin-Beasley, Strategic Communications
• Manny Peralta, Sport Management
• José Alex Reyes Arias, Strategic Communications
• Mackenzie Smith, Cinema & Television Arts
• Givanna Solis, Cinema & Television Arts
• Jessica Walker, Strategic Communications

Celebremos!: Graduates Take Flight
May 22, Lakeside

This bilingual event is an annual tradition to honor the achievements and contributions of all graduating students, with a special emphasis on those who identify with Latinx/Hispanic identities and cultures. School of Communications honorees:

• Leslie Aviles Mendoza, Strategic Communications
• Cristy Mariné, Cinema & Television Arts
• José Alex Reyes Arias, Strategic Communications

Donning of the Kente
May 22, Alumni Gym

The university’s Donning of the Kente ceremony is a celebration that honors students of African descent and acknowledges their academic achievements, cultural heritage, and personal journeys. During the ceremony, graduates are presented with a Kente stole – a colorful, handwoven cloth – which they wear as part of their graduation regalia. School of Communications honorees:

• Jason N. Adama-Tettey, Communication Design
• Aniya Arnold, Cinema & Television Arts
• Chase Augustus, Sport Management
• Alexis Cooper, Journalism
• Rachael (Mae) Curington, Cinema & Television Arts
• Uwera Izabayo, Cinema & Television Arts
• Jayla Martin-Beasley, Strategic Communications
• Madison Muir, Cinema & Television Arts
• Sebastian Schroeter, Sport Management
• Taylor Scott, Strategic Communications

Lavender Graduation
May 14, Alumni Gym

The university’s Lavender Graduation honors and celebrates the achievements of graduating LGBTQIA+ students and their allies. The ceremony provides a space for reflection, recognition and community, acknowledging the unique experiences and contributions of these students during their time on campus. Among the 23 participants were the following School of Communications majors:

• Rachael (Mae) Curington, Cinema & Television Arts
• Jayla Martin-Beasley, Strategic Communications

������Ƶ celebrated the achievements of its first-generation students on Wednesday afternoon during the annual first-generation stole ceremony in McKinnon Hall. From the moment you walked into space, you could feel it. The sheer excitement, deep sense of community and heartfelt pride radiating from mentors, faculty, staff, friends and family members as they gathered alongside the soon-to-be graduates.

Organized by First-Generation Student Support Services, an initiative within the Center for Access and Success, this year’s ceremony marked a milestone, as over sixty students participated in the stole presentation ceremony, marking it as the largest turnout since the inaugural ceremony in 2020.

“To see this year’s First-Generation Stole Ceremony reach its largest participation yet is both inspiring and affirming,” Elle Collins, executive director for the Center for Access and Success, said. “It reflects not just numerical growth, but a powerful cultural shift [and] recognition that first-generation students are not only present, but valued, celebrated, and deeply supported at ������Ƶ.” 

Despite recently beginning her role, Collins emphasized the impact of witnessing the dynamic milestone. “It has been incredibly moving to witness the deep and unified commitment across ������Ƶ from Student Life and Academic Affairs to faculty, staff and community organizations who have all rallied behind the success, empowerment and recognition of our first-generation students,” Collins said.

Kenneth Brown ’19, assistant director of First-Generation Student Support Services, echoed Collins’ sentiment on the impact of the ceremony’s milestone and ������Ƶ’s commitment to supporting first-generation students.

“It’s a testament to the work that has been done across campus to create opportunities for first-generation students to come together and see their identity as something to be proud of and not a hindrance,” Brown said.  “This is a big moment for the university, especially as a campus that champions these students.”

The spirit of pride, support and recognition continued throughout the ceremony, which featured reflections from student keynote speaker Archie Tan ’25, a charge from Jonathan A. McElderry, dean of student inclusive excellence and assistant professor, and the announcement of the 2025 1891 award recipients.

Redefining ‘first’

During Tan’s keynote address, he shared how the first-generation slogan “to be first” resonates with him and influenced his path.

“For me, ‘to be first’ means thinking outside the box, stepping outside your comfort zone and sticking to what you believe is right, even when others doubt you.”

He continued providing a candid look into his first-generation experiences, sharing his doubts, challenges, triumphs and successes. Coming from a low-socioeconomic background, he pursued financial support by applying to multiple scholarships to achieve his dream of attending college. Despite facing numerous rejections, he persisted and was eventually awarded the Golden Door Scholarship.

Tan emphasized that there was no guidebook to help navigate these obstacles, but his determination to achieve his dream and perseverance were key in overcoming them, turning each challenge into a valuable learning experience.

“This taught me many lessons: not to be afraid of rejection, to believe there is always a way to achieve your goals, to believe in yourself, to be brave, [and] to take the first steps, Tan said.

For me, ‘to be first’ means thinking outside the box, stepping outside your comfort zone and sticking to what you believe is right, even when others doubt you.

Archie Tan ’25

Tan closed his speech by encouraging students to embrace opportunities of being first and challenging them to create their own guidebooks.

“Every first experience was a step toward mastering the art of being first. You don’t need to compare yourself with others,” he said. “Each first experience is an opportunity to grow. I’ve learned that being first is not just about leading the way but also about the resilience and innovation you bring to every new challenge.”

A full-circle moment

The ceremony transitioned to the stole presentation ceremony following Tan’s remarks.  During this segment, students were presented a first-generation stole by individuals who significantly impacted their success during their time at ������Ƶ.

Jose Alex Reyes Arias ’25, who was among the 60-plus students who participated, spoke on the impact of his mentor, Vanessa Bravo, professor of strategic communications and assistant dean of the School of Communications, who presented his stole during the ceremony. “To now being at the First-Gen Stole Ceremony, it felt surreal to know that I’ve come so far, but it would not have been possible without Dr. Bravo,” Reyes Arias said.

Jasmine Walker ’25, also shared her feelings on the impact of having her professor, Sandra Reid, senior lecturer in human service studies, present her stole.

“Having my professor give me my First-Gen stole was such a full-circle moment,” Walker said. “It meant so much to be recognized by someone who has been in my corner these past few years. This ceremony reminded me I’m not alone in this journey, and that’s something I’ll always carry with me.”

Along with the stole, students received an ������Ƶ lapel pin, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Engagement, signifying their entry into the ������Ƶ alumni family.

“The ������Ƶ lapel pin is far more than a symbol; it’s a statement of identity and pride,” Collins said. “As our graduates join the global community of first-generation alumni, we hope they wear it not just on graduation day, but throughout their journeys as a visible reminder of how far they’ve come and how far they will go.

No manual, only determination

The event continued with an inspirational charge to the soon-to-be graduates from Jonathan McElderry, dean of students for inclusive excellence and assistant professor. A proud first-generation college graduate himself, he expressed to students that he firsthand understood their experiences of “being first.”

“Being first-generation is not just a part of my story—it is the foundation of who I am,” he said. “It has shaped the way I lead, the way I build community, and the way I strive to create spaces that honor the brilliance that first-gen graduates bring.

Like Tan, McElderry provided insight on navigating challenges without a guide but ultimately overcoming them. “There’s no manual for navigating uncertainty, disappointment or change–but we do it anyway. We grow. We stretch. We learn,” McElderry said.

He also underscored the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and being a trailblazer.

“When fear rises, remember–you can’t finish what you don’t face,” he said. “Try something new. Step out of your comfort zone. I didn’t have all the answers when I started, and truthfully, I still don’t. But every milestone I’ve reached, I began with no prior experience. I just believed it was possible.

McElderry closed his address, reiterating the Center for Access and Success’ values, charging students to lead with authenticity, move with passion, build empowered communities, stay connected to their story and path, and to celebrate their wins.

“You are the dream realized. You are the future of higher education, of leadership, of innovation, and of justice,” he said.

Honoring trailblazers: 1891 Awards presentation

Following McElderry’s motivational charge, the ceremony shifted to the awards announcement of the 2025 1891 Award recipients, named in honor of ������Ƶ’s first graduating class in 1891.

“Just like our students, those students were trailblazers, paving the way for hundreds more classes to come,” Cici Salazar ‘23, graduate apprentice for first-generation initiatives, said during the opening of the awards presentation.

The awards recognize five individuals who have advanced first-generation student success. Each recipient embodies one of the values of First-Gen Initiatives: empowerment, celebratory, community, passion and authenticity.

• 1891 Award of Empowerment: Brandy Propst, director of ������Ƶ 1010 and assistant director of academic advising.
• 1891 Award of Celebratory: Nicole Galante ’19 G’21, assistant director of national and international fellowships.
• 1891 Award of Community: Emma Calhoun G’25, the graduate apprentice for the Odyssey Program
• 1891 Award of Passion: Kimberly Romero, director for diversity & access for undergraduate admissions
• 1891 Award of Authenticity: Laker Figueroa ’25

A final charge: come alive and lead with purpose

Brown provided closing remarks, acknowledging that the soon-to-be graduates are entering a world of uncertainty. However, he expressed hope, noting that seeing the strong community the students have built reassures him that things will be okay.

Expanding on the sentiment shared each year by President Connie Ledoux Book during commencement, proclaiming that “the world needs ������Ƶ graduates,” Brown built upon the statement, incorporating the words of Rev. Howard Thurman.

“The world needs ������Ƶ graduates who have come alive,” Brown said.

“As you go into the world, do what wisdom Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman says and ‘come alive,” he continued. “The world will take your talents and manipulate them, but Thurman says, ‘Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.’”

Here are a few important reminders and can’t-miss events for the week ahead:

Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection – Tuesday

Tuesday, May 20, 7:45-8:45 p.m., Under the Oaks (rain location: Alumni Gym)

Gather with your entire class one last time to celebrate the end of final exams and the start of Commencement Week with a special twilight ceremony. The event features senior reflections, multifaith blessings, musical performances, a message from retiring faculty member, Mary Jo Festle, Distinguished University Professor of History, and a candle lighting from two 1975 ������Ƶ alumni celebrating 50 years since their graduation.  At the conclusion, graduates will receive their symbolic oak saplings.

Stole & Pinning Ceremonies – Wednesday

First Generation Stole Ceremony

Wednesday, May 21, 1-2:30 p.m., McKinnon Hall

Honor the achievements of first-generation graduates! Invitations will be shared with eligible students. Contact firstgen@elon.edu for additional information.

Nursing Pinning Ceremony

Wednesday, May 21, 4-6 p.m., McCray Theatre

The first cohort of Bachelor of Science in Nursing students will be recognized and pinned at the first ������Ƶ pinning ceremony, followed by a reception.

Senior Celebration – Wednesday

Wednesday, May 21, 6:30-9 p.m., Rhodes Stadium

Join fellow graduates for a night filled with fun, food, games, photo ops, a free drink for all Senior Class donors, with fireworks to cap the night! Register with the .

Cultural Recognition Events – Thursday

¡Celebremos!: Graduates Take Flight

Thursday, May 22, 1-3 p.m., Lakeside Meeting Rooms

Join the stole ceremony that recognizes and celebrates the achievements of graduates who celebrate their Latinx heritage. Register with the CREDE to participate.

Legacy Reception

Thursday, May 22, 3:30-4:30 p.m., McKinnon Hall

Legacy graduates who have relatives who are ������Ƶ alumni are invited to join the Office of Alumni Engagement to honor their legacy. to attend the pinning ceremony and reception.

Donning of the Kente

Thursday, May 22, 6-9 p.m., Alumni Gym

Participate in the Donning of the Kente! Donning of the Kente is a cultural ceremony to celebrate the achievements of students who celebrate their African roots. .

School Receptions – Thursday

Thursday, May 22, 2:30 p.m., Various locations

Graduates and families are invited to mingle and connect with peers and faculty from your school the day before commencement.

• Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education: Mooney Lawn  (rain location: LaRose 200)
• ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts & Sciences: Lindner Patio  (rain location: Lindner Foyer)
• Martha & Spencer Love School of Business: Chandler Fountain  (rain location: Koury Business Center atrium)
• School of Communications: Snow Family Grand Atrium
• School of Health Sciences: Francis Center

And please don’t forget to complete the First Destination Survey sent to you via email. The university collects information about post-graduation plans (job, grad school, post-grad fellowship/internship, etc.), and your response is essential. Whether you know your post-graduation plans or not, we ask that you please complete the survey.  You will automatically be entered into a drawing to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards once you complete the survey.

This is going to be a special week – we look forward to celebrating you!