First-Gen efforts are supporting trailblazers

Launched during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNG's First-Gen efforts were born of a higher purpose: to ensure students stepping into unfamiliar territory would never have to walk alone. What began as a bold idea has grown into a thriving network of nearly 300 mentors and mentees in the Gen 1 program, supported by events, scholarships and a strong sense of community.

The results have been transformative. Nationally, only 24% of First-Generation students earn a degree. At UNG, the Gen 1 cohort from 2020 has graduated at an extraordinary 87% rate. Since 2020, the university has awarded more than $60,000 in First-Gen scholarships, with another $60,000 slated to reach 60 students this academic year.

"Don't give up. Hard things await you," UNG President Michael Shannon told students at the event. "But what I can tell you is that the collision with purpose waiting for you here is going to change your life - and the lives of others you will impact."