First Generation Fellows Cohort

First Generation Fellows is a program that provides individualized support to students who identify as first in their family to graduate from college. The program is designed for first-generation sophomore and transfer students.

The cohort of students that are selected into the program benefit from various support programs, services, and extensive campus referral networks that help enrich their academic life.  The students also participate in monthly Lunch and Learns with faculty and staff that focus on the themes of navigation, empowerment, and leadership. After completing their requirements cohort participants qualify for a $300 book scholarship.

Who can apply?

The First Gen Fellows cohort program is open to first-generation students who are classified as sophomore, and transfer students. Students can apply for the Autumn, Winter, and Spring cohorts.

Why Join First Gen Fellows Cohort

Benefits of a First Gen Fellow

  • Access to Peer Success Mentors
  • Free swag
  • Monthly faculty and staff luncheons
  • Raffles
  • Access to Workshop series
  • Access to Signature Events
  • Book scholarship of $300

Requirements

  • Meetings with your Academic Advisor once per quarter
  • Attend 1 Workshop per quarter
  • Meet with your Peer Success Mentor once per quarter
  • Career Prep.
    • 1st Quarter: Register on Handshake and upload an updated resume
    • 2nd Quarter: Submit a Cover Letter and upload an updated resume
      • If you are a returnee of the cohort, you need to update your resume as well as submitting a cover letter. Visit Career Development & Education website to look at Resume Samples, Cover Letter Templates and more.
    • 3rd Quarter: Attend the Career Fair and provide a list of three prospective job opportunities or internships you are interested in.
  • Attend one or at least both of the monthly faculty/staff Lunch and Learns
  • Complete the End of the Quarter Survey

First Gen Fellows Cohort Application:

First Gen Fellows Cohort Spring Quarter 2022 Application is closed. Applications was due on Thursday, April 7th, 2022.

Lunch & Learns

 

 

The purpose of our Lunch and Learn program is to give students the opportunity to hear and share stories of what it means to be First Gen. It also provides faculty and staff with an opportunity to talk with first gen students about their experiences as a member of the UW Tacoma community and provide students with tools to succeed, as well as any resources they may find useful on and off campus. 

 

 

 

Below are Previous Lunch and Learn Presenters: 

Benjamin Meiches

Autumn 2019 

Associate Professor

 

 

Christopher Beasley, Ph.D.

Autumn 2019

Assistant Professor

 

Tanya Grace Velazquez

Winter 2019 - Empowerment

UW Tacoma Senior Lecturer, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences

Anaid Yerena

Winter 2019 - Empowerment

Assistant Professor

 

 

Mentha Hynes-Wilson

Spring 2019 - Leadership

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Jimmy McCarty

Spring 2020

Director for the Center for Equity and Inclusion

 

Bernard Anderson

Spring 2020

UW Tacoma Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life

 

Amanda Figueroa

Autumn 2020 - Navigation

Senior Director, Student Transitions & Success

 

Victoria Hill-Ouhl

Autumn 2020 - Empowerment

UW Tacoma Director, Student Financial Aid & Scholarships

 

 

Robin Starr Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn

Autumn 2020 - Leadership

Associate Professor and Ed.D. Director

UW Tacoma School of Education

Stephon Harris

Winter 2021 - Navigation

Associate Director

New Student & Family Programs

 

 

Jeffrey Cohen

Winter 2021 - Empowerment

Assistant Professor

School of Social Work & Criminal Justice

 

Alison Hendricks

Winter 2021 - Leadership

Director of Operations and Administration, Milgard School of Business

Monika Anonuevo

Spring 2021 - Empowerment

New Student Success Specialist

 

Mark A. Pagano, Ph.D.

Spring 2021 - Leadership

Professor; Former Chancellor of UW Tacoma

Roseann Martinez

Fall 2021 - Navigation

Assistant Director for Student Advocacy and Support

Tanya Grace Velaquez

Fall 2021 - Empowerment

Associate Teaching Professor; Faculty Development Associate

Courtney Kroll

Winter 2022 - Navigation

Office of Global Affairs; Study Abroad Manager

Autumn Diaz

Winter 2022 - Empowerment

Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement; Program Coordinator

Davon Woodard, Ph.D.

Spring 2022 - Empowerment 

Associate Professor in the School of Urban Studies

Cohort Resources

*Note: June 3rd is the last day of classes. Students must complete ALL requirements by this day.*
 

1. Attend the Orientation Meeting

Zoom link is emailed directly to cohort members

 

2. Meetings with your Academic Advisor once per quarter

Schedule an appointment

3. Attend 1 Workshop per quarter

Check out our upcoming workshops

4. Meet with your Peer Success Mentor once per quarter

Learn more about our Peer Success Mentors

5. Career Prep

  • 1st Quarter: Register on Handshake and upload an updated resume
  • 2nd Quarter: Submit a Cover Letter and upload an updated resume
    • If you are a returnee of the cohort, you need to update your resume as well as submitting a cover letter. Visit Career Development & Education website to look at Resume Samples, Cover Letter Templates and more
  • 3rd Quarter: Attend the Career Fair and provide a list of three prospective job opportunities or internships you are interested in.

Career Development & Education Website
Login to UW Tacoma Handshake

6. Attend at least one or both faculty/staff Lunch and Learns

Theme: Empowerment | Speaker: Davon Woodard

Date: May 9th, 2022 | 12:30 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.

Hybrid Session:

  • If you are attending in-person, it will be at MAT 213. 
  • If you are attending virtual, please email us so I can provide you the Zoom link. 

 

Theme: Navigation | Speaker: TBD

Date: TBD | 12:30 p.m. - 1:20 p.m. |Location: Hybrid

Hybrid Session:

  • If you are attending in-person, it will be at MAT 213. 
  • If you are attending virtual, please email us so I can provide you the Zoom link. 

 

7. Complete the FGF Cohort Evaluation Survey

The FGF Cohort Evaluation Survey will be send out at the end of Week 9 of Spring Quarter.

Feel free to download this document if you want to check off the list as you complete the requirements:

 

 

Spring 2022 Requirements