Maria M. Sempertegui FirstGen Future Graduates Program

The Maria Sempertegui FirstGen Future Graduates program aim to teach young men and women the skills necessary to apply to and succeed in college as first generation college students.  The program is comprised of a series of workshops focused on establishing the similarities between the students and mentors, the majority of whom are FirstGen college graduates.  The mentor and students also discuss the various challenges FirstGen college students face and the mentors share their experiences overcoming those challenges.  A crucial aspect of the program is allowing the young men and women to hear directly from the mentors that understand the student's background and experiences.  The main message conveyed is that if the mentors that look like the students and have similar backgrounds can attend and graduate from college, the young men and women can too! The program was originally established as FirstGen Future Men in 2018 and in 2024, it was expanded to support young women as well.