First Generation Students
LTHS defines a First Generation student:
A first-generation college student is defined as a student whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor's degree in the United States. This means that you are the first person in your family to attend a four-year college/university to attain a bachelor's degree in the United States. If you have an older sibling already in college, you would still be considered First Generation.
Lyons First
Lyons First is a support group to assist First Generation students at Lyons Township High School with the Post-Secondary planning process. The group provides various levels of assistance including...
- Understanding of the First Generation identity
- Career counseling and exploration
- Post-secondary planning resources
- Informative field trips and guest speakers
- And more!
Resources for First Gens
First Gen Night
LT students, along with their families, who identify as a first generation college bound student were invited to attend First Generation Night. The event shared resources and support for first gen students, both inside and outside of LTHS, along with a panel of experts from colleges and organizations.
First Gen Network
| Institution or Organization | Name | |
| College of Dupage | Evan Harvey | harveye288@cod.edu |
| First Gen Support | Julia Sun | julia@firstgensupport.org |
| Georgia Tech | Dr. Charmaine Troy | firstgenprograms@gatech.edu |
| Green Halo Scholars | Sara Miller | sara@greenhaloscholars.org |
| Hofstra University | Dr. Russ Smith | firstgen@hofstra.edu |
| ISAC | Brianna Rodriguez | Brianna.Rodriguez@Illinois.gov |
| Kansas State University | Rebeca Paz | rpaz@ksu.edu |
| Matriculate | Karen Du | kdu@matriculate.org |
| North Central College | Julie Carballo | jmcarballo@noctrl.edu |
| Northern Illinois University | Dr. Jeffrey Salmon | jsalmon1@niu.edu |
| Questbridge | Dr. Christian Martell | questions@questbridge.org |
| Spelman College | Dr. Lana Lockhart | llockha4@spelman.edu |
| St. Mary's University (MN) | Marisol Martinez | mmartine@smumn.edu |
| Tennessee State University | Ashanti Chunn | achunn@tnstate.edu |
| Univ. of California (LA) | Astrid Colop | acolop@orl.ucla.edu |
| University of Arizona | Rachel Juarez | rachelmjuarez@arizona.ed |
| University of Denver | Dong Dinh | Dong.Dinh@du.edu |
| Wake Forest University | Carol Torres | torresc@wfu.edu |
National First Generation Day
FGCC is celebrated annually on November 8 to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”) of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act created federal financial aid programs to fund students’ educations and made key investments in colleges and universities. Many of the HEA’s programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, promote postsecondary access, retention, and completion for today’s limited-income, first-generation college students.
FGCC strives not only to celebrate first-gen students’ contributions to their communities but also to occasion systemic social change by dismantling barriers to first-generation student success. Through this intentional advocacy focus, FGCC engages key constituencies in building upon the work left unfinished by the HEA.