Over the past year, our First-Gen initiatives have expanded across all campuses. We’ve worked intentionally to build a strong sense of belonging, connection, and pride for our more than 8,000 first-generation Huskies. A few highlights include:
• First-Gen Week: A full week of celebrations, workshops, faculty/staff panels, networking events, and community gatherings designed to help students feel seen, supported, and inspired. Engagement has grown significantly across Storrs and the regional campuses.
• First-Gen House Learning Community: UConn's newest Learning Community provides a supportive home for first-gen students to form friendships, build confidence, and develop academic and leadership skills. It is quickly becoming one of our most active communities.
• Success 360 & Academic Achievement Center Support: Through coaching, mentoring, Supplemental Instruction, academic skills workshops, and peer-leader programming, we provide wrap-around support that helps first-gen students with outstanding fee bills thrive.
• Faculty & Staff First-Gen Network: More than 300 faculty and staff have proudly identified as first-gen or first-gen allies. This visible campus-wide network ensures that first-gen students can easily find mentors, advocates, and role models across the university.
• First-Gen Cord Ceremony: One of our most meaningful traditions. We celebrate our graduating first-gen seniors with green cords and custom UConn first-gen charms—a moment of pride not only for students, but for their families and the entire university.
How donor support makes a real impact: Funds raised for our First-Gen Initiatives directly support students in a number of high-impact ways, including:
- Conference attendance and professional development
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Emergency support for students experiencing unexpected hardship
- Study abroad opportunities—including programs like our Camino de Santiago experience
- Tuition assistance for students with financial need
- Cord ceremonies across all campuses
These forms of support change the trajectory of a student’s education—and in many cases, their life. Thank you for all that you do to support this work. Your generosity amplifies our mission and ensures that first-generation Huskies have the resources, community, and opportunities they deserve.
The UConn Foundation (EIN 06-6070722) is an independent, not-for-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that exists to support the educational, scientific, cultural, research, and recreational objectives of the University of Connecticut.
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