First-Generation Student Success Program

Beginning a university education is a remarkable accomplishment — especially if you are the first in your family to walk this path. 1GEN, our first-generation college student success program, provides you with dedicated resources to empower you on the journey. Through peer mentoring, special interest workshops and phased programming for all four years of your undergraduate degree, we build a support system that enables you to rise above obstacles and achieve remarkable success.
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Beginning a university education is a remarkable accomplishment — especially if you are the first in your family to walk this path. 1GEN, our first-generation college student success program, provides you with dedicated resources to empower you on the journey. Through peer mentoring, special interest workshops and phased programming for all four years of your undergraduate degree, we build a support system that enables you to rise above obstacles and achieve remarkable success.

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A biblical studies student smiling

What Does “First-Generation College Student” Mean?

If you’re the first — or among the first — in your family to attend college, you’re considered a first-generation college student. It’s a name many students embody with pride, and for good reason. Pursuing a university degree is a powerful achievement on its own, a marker of the dedication and commitment that brought you here.

Students hanging out and chatting at the cafeteria

The First-Generation Student Experience

From the application process to graduation, you’ll have the opportunity to attend social events, workshops, and peer mentoring and leadership activities designed with first-generation students in mind. 1GEN has no formal membership and is available to any first-generation student at ACU, whether you transfer or begin your first year here.

How Our First-Generation Student Success Program Can Help You

Our program equips you to tackle every aspect of your ACU journey, including:

  • Transitioning into the university
  • Navigating your courses
  • Building community
  • Networking in and beyond the classroom
  • Establishing self-advocacy

Alongside faculty, peers and mentors who are invested in your success, 1GEN will prepare you to thrive at ACU and in all your endeavors that follow.