“It’s just getting bigger and bigger,” ASMSU assistant vice president for academic affairs Laura Graham. “Every year we have more partners and more attendees at the events, which is really cool to see.”

MSU TRIO is one of the organizations ASMSU partnered with. TRIO is part of the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative program at MSU. The organization helps first-generation students navigate everything from financial aid to on-campus involvement, said TRIO employee and student Safa Karaein. Any student who identifies as first-generation or low-income can join. Benefits of the program include advising, service learning and peer tutoring.

Another resource available to first-generation students is the First-Generation Honors Association, or FGHA. The association is funded through the Honors College but is open to any first-generation student.

“It’s a great way for first-gen students to socialize and get to know one another,” FGHA co-president Frank Dolecki said. “It's basically there to primarily have first-gen students build community with each other, as well as build the confidence and skills they need and acknowledge what resources are available to them at MSU.”

In spite of the various resources available, junior and first-generation student Ariel Downs feels unsupported by MSU because she said the resources are not clearly advertised.

“It’s hard to find different programs here at MSU to support you,” Downs said. “And that’s the worst part about it. You get discouraged because you don’t have anyone in your corner to hold your hand and guide you.”

First-generation freshman Dakota Spink said she has not been able to find the help she needs to understand her financial aid.

“I’ve been to the financial aid office and they’ll briefly explain things but I have a scholarship and I have no idea what the terms and conditions are ... they haven’t explained it and so I really have no idea what I’m doing.”

From an ASMSU perspective, first-generation appreciation week is also about advocating for that community of students, ASMSU vice president for academic affairs Aaron Iturralde said. 

“Last year at our student roundtable, we got a lot of really good information,” Graham said. “It was a smaller group but with that, we were able to really talk in depth with all the students that attended and then we had a presentation for the General Assembly.”

In hopes of helping to connect first-generation students to resources, ASMSU provides first-generation door tags for professors who also identify as part of that community.

“Another big push has been creating visibility of faculty and staff that identify as first-gen just because often students don’t realize that their professor may share this identity with them and they can really understand and empathize with their experience,” Graham said. 

College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate student Anon “Tiger” Montross said his best friend is a first-generation student. He shows support by attending first-generation events and spreading the word about resources specific to that community. 

“I’m proudly wearing the t-shirt and carrying the bag to ... make first-gen students more visible and present in the community,” Montross said.

Downs said it is important for first-generation students to be aware of the community they are a part of.

“Just know that you’re not alone,” Downs said. “I know it’s a hard transition, a hard process to become a full-time adult and independent.”

To close out first-generation student appreciation week, students can join a national first-generation networking Zoom meeting on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Friday, students can find donuts and a free profile photo booth in the Student Services Building room 113 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.