16 first-gen students inducted into Tri-Alpha

The Proud to Be First program hosted its third annual Tri-Alpha induction ceremony on Sunday. This ceremony honored first-generation students entering the Alpha Alpha Alpha Honor Society; each new member received an Honor cord, a pin and a certificate of initiation.

New inductees include Emely Arias, Ava Brown, Jackeline Chavez, Canaan Cooper, Alexa DeLeon, Da’sha Gray, Emely Lazaro, Xiani Medina, Kennae Mortimer, Christopher Nguyen, Ava Rech, Diana Rodriguez, Jenell Zavaleta Rodriguez, Yasmin Valero, Madeleine Vargas and Roselyn Meza. Students were honored for their hard work in getting to higher education and encouraged to find community within their new membership.

The Tri-Alpha Honor Society’s mission is to recognize and honor the academic achievements of first- generation students at CSB+SJU. According to Tri-Alpha executive board member Jazmin Acuna Diaz, the Tri-Alpha Honor Society provides members with support and courage to keep going even when higher education gets hard.

“I think it is important to have a community where we are all in it together, we are all struggling and none of us know what we are doing, but we’re doing it together, and we have that support,” Acuna Diaz said. “We have support not only with faculty and staff but also with each other. We say you are capable of doing this, you are strong, you are doing something that takes a lot of courage and you are not alone.”

At the event, guest speaker Brianna Garcia-Saldana ‘21 encouraged students to think of their membership as part of their story and allow themselves to recognize they are paving a path for future students’ and generations’ success.

“Today, we celebrate not just these students’ achievements but their courage, resilience, and the determination it takes to be a first- generation college student,” Garcia- Saldana said.

Throughout her message, Garcia- Salada emphasized that things may be challenging, but students will always have a community within Tri-Alpha.

“This group would have been really nice to have on campus when I was here… it fills students with confidence and allows them to be a leader within their community. It can beaverylonelyplace,especiallyifyou are the first to do it, and Tri-Alpha allows a space for first-generation students to feel included,” Garcia- Saldana said after her talk.

According to Tri-Alpha board member Jesus Medina, Tri-Alpha Honor Society is about recognizing the achievements of first-generation students and encouraging them to continue paving the way for their families and future students.

“There are a lot of first- generation students here at CSB+SJU, and having the induction shows what they are doing academically and thei excellence,” Medina said.

This recognition is not unique to CSB+SJU, as Tri-Alpha has other chapters within Minnesota.

“The Minnesota chapters will be connecting for the first time this year and that is a really cool way to gro our community,” Medina said.

As the Tri-Alpha Honor Societ continues to grow within Minnesota and at CSB+SJU, Acuna Diaz encouraged students to reach out.

“If you reach out, you will hav support here, and you will have community that is ready for you,” Acuna Diaz said.