To
commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the Higher Education Act, this week SLCC is
joining institutions across the country in celebrating first-generation
students. Check out our Instagram feed (saltlakecc) for more
inspiring stories as well as our blog post on first-gen student Brooklyn
Sumner. #celebratefirstgen
The free pizza, candy, cupcakes, drinks, t-shirts and swag
may have drawn people in, but many who stopped by the First-Generation Student
Celebration at Salt Lake Community College’s Taylorsville Redwood Campus stayed
to hear stories of trials and triumphs from actual first-generation students.
Last year the Council for Opportunity in Education and the
Center for First-generation Student Success started the First-Generation
College Celebration, with colleges and universities across the country,
including SLCC, holding their own events.
During this year’s celebration, SLCC hosted a panel
discussion that included first-generation students Sepa Faupula, Haley Nate and
Jonathan Herrera, along with SLCC staffers Mequette Sorensen and Thanhtung
Thantrong. All spoke about their own experiences and the support SLCC gives to
first-gen students.
Pictured: Sepa Faupula (l-r), Haley Nate, Jonathan Herrera, Mequette Sorensen, Thanhtung Thantrong
Panelists also shared similar stories about the struggles that
come from not having family members who fully understand or appreciate the
sacrifices of time and money that must be made when pursuing a college degree.
Sorensen encouraged students in the room to seek help from the college. “I’m
here for those of you who might be afraid,” she said. “I do and can speak out
for you. If you need support, please come to us. There are many people like
myself who say, ‘We are here for you.’ If you need support or tutoring, you
come to us. Please, don’t quit. We’re all examples that you can make it.
Please, believe in yourself, even if your parents were not college graduates.
You can make it on your own and with the help of all of us.”
Below are photos from the celebration.
