Linguistics Department - First-Generation Celebration, 2021 | Linguistics

A poster we hung in the hallway inviting first-generation students to share thoughts about their college experience. — We hung a poster in the hallway inviting first-generation students to share thoughts about their college experience.

A first-generation college student wrote, "It's tough, but you're allowed to go at your own pace - it's about you :)" — A first-generation college student wrote, “It’s tough, but you’re allowed to go at your own pace – it’s about you :)"

Western is committed to improving the experience and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students, and as such, has recently been recognized as a First-gen Forward institution by the Center for First-generation Student Success.

To celebrate this honor, our department took part in the National First-Generation College Celebration. During this week-long celebration, we handed out goodie bags containing treats, stickers and words of affirmations to our first-generation linguistics students. We also put up a poster in the hallway inviting first-generation students to share thoughts about their college experience.

Thank you to the faculty, staff, and students who participated in this event.

A first-generation college student is a student whose parents did not earn a 4-year college degree. About a quarter of Western’s students identify as first-generation college students.

Linguistics faculty assembled goody bags to give to our first-generation students. From left, Dr. Judith Pine, Dr. Anne Lobeck, Dr. Virginia Dawson, and Dr. Kristin Denham.

Goody bags were filled with treats, stickers, and words of affirmation.