First-generation students have been a part of the University of Washington Bothell since it held its first classes in fall 1990. From the founding faculty to current faculty and staff to the University’s latest incoming class, first-generation students are integral to the campus community.
As Jenn Maglalang, UW Bothell alumna (Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, ’99) and director of admissions at UW Seattle’s School of Social Work, said: “First-gen students are here, we are everywhere, we are staff, we are faculty, we are among your colleagues and your classmates.”
UW Bothell makes it a priority to serve these students not only to provide the resources and support they need to be successful but also to honor the hard work and unique perspectives they bring to campus and the regional community.
As part of this, UW Bothell participates in the National First-Generation College Celebration Day, observed annually on Nov. 8. This year, the campus is expanding its annual First-Generation Celebration into a three-day event.
A FirstGen Forward campus
UW Bothell has a lot to celebrate. In autumn 2024, 31% of incoming first-year students and 43% of new incoming transfers at UW Bothell will be first in their immediate families to earn a four-year degree.
For the third consecutive year, UW Bothell also has been recognized as a first-generation serving campus, awarded FirstGen Forward status by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
“Having the designation as a FirstGen Forward campus holds us accountable to serving students and our mission as a campus committed to diversity and equity,” said Terry Hill, director of Orientation & Transition Programs. “First-gen students are most often from populations that have traditionally not been represented or served by universities.
“Because of that, we know that there are institutional barriers and obstacles in place that we need to identify and dismantle if we are truly invested in access to higher education. We want first-gen students to know they’re seen and have support here.”
For Gelila Bekele, a senior majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Data Science and in Actuarial Science, becoming the first person in her family to go to college felt daunting and confusing at first. Now, both in her studies and as a student leader and an intern in Orientation & Transition Programs, Bekele feels she not only has the support she needs, but she’s also able to help other new students adjust to campus life.
Finding community
“Being involved on campus has allowed me to build my support system here through my supervisors and other student leaders who have become good friends, further motivating and inspiring me in trying to achieve success,” she said.
At this year’s celebration, Bekele is also helping with logistics such as distributing posters and helping set up some of the events. She looks forward to greeting new students — and fondly recalls last year’s celebration.
“It was nice having part of my identity recognized and celebrated so visibly, as well as meeting some other first-generation students,” she said. “It reminded me that there is a whole community here for us and that I can potentially utilize what I’ve learned through my experiences to help others who are starting in the same boat that I did.”
Another student, Merna Makramalla, a senior majoring in Law, Economics & Public Policy, said that while her friends and family have always supported her in her academic goals, being a first-generation student hasn’t been without its challenges. Using what she’s learned from her own experience, she’s enjoyed connecting with other first-gen students in her role as a student peer coach last year and as an orientation leader this year.
“Being a first-generation college student is not easy because it feels like you should know what you are supposed to do,” she said, “but in reality, it’s too much to figure out.
“My advice for first-gen students is to not feel embarrassed about reaching out and asking for help. Things will get harder, and it’s okay to ask for help.”
“Being involved on campus has allowed me to build my support system here through my supervisors and other student leaders who have become good friends, further motivating and inspiring me in trying to achieve success.”
Gelila Bekele, first-gen student majoring in Mathematics
A first-gen perspective
For staff member Stephanie Mardahl, her own background as a first-generation student is an important part of her identity — one that she proudly shares and that bolsters her role as orientation program manager. She said she enjoys bringing a first-gen perspective to her work, particularly as a co-chair for the annual celebration, a role she’s filled for the past three years alongside co-chair Alishia Ruff, STARS program manager.
“It’s an honor to continue to celebrate our first-gen students,” she said. “This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever, and everybody on campus can celebrate our first-gen students. We want faculty, staff and students who are first-gen to feel seen and to have everybody come and celebrate together.”
In growing this year’s celebration to a three-day event, Mardahl looked to provide resources and opportunities for connection that she knew would be of value to first-generation students. The first day of the event on Nov. 6 is a celebration in the Plaza similar to what’s been done in the past. The following day’s events include an academic pop-up for students to connect with academic resources and a career pop-up that features a free career closet, drop-in resume review and a drop-in LinkedIn profile review.
“It can be really intimidating as a first-generation student to try to ask questions or go out and ask for help, so we’ve created this safe space with all these academic and career resources in one place where students will hopefully feel more comfortable asking questions,” Mardahl said.
On the third day of the event, Nov. 8, a First-Gen Pride Booth will be set up in the first-floor lobby of Founders Hall (UW1).
Better than ever
While many of this year’s activities focus on resources for first-generation students, the event is first and foremost a celebration, Mardahl added.
“It’s important for students to appreciate this part of their identity and to realize that it comes with a lot of amazing things — not just challenges,” she said. “Being first-generation means you might be more open to change, more adaptive and better at navigating certain spaces because it took courage to get to where you are.”
UW Bothell’s FirstGen Forward initiative work is a collaboration between the Division of Academic Affairs, Division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs and Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Hill noted that the campus aims to someday achieve status as a FirstGen Forward Network Leader, the next level of recognition and commitment awarded by NASPA.
“This week celebrates all who strive to be the first in their family to attend college, those still on that journey and all who have succeeded — some of us earning multiple degrees! Our students also need to see that because it shows them it’s possible,” Hill said.
The First-Generation Celebration begins on Nov. 6. More information can be found on the events calendar.
