First-gen mentorship program established

First2First, the new First-Generation student mentorship program, has officially launched. This will provide first-gen underclassmen at CSB+SJU with a support system to help them succeed.

The First-Generation Organization (FGO), which now houses First2First at CSB+SJU, recognizes a student as first-generation if their parents or guardians have not completed a four-year college degree. More than one-fourth of all CSB+SJU students identify as first-generation.

Multicultural Student Services Director Malik Stewart helps oversee FGO and said the mentorship program had existed in some capacity before the COVID pandemic.

In this previous version of the mentorship program, first-gen students were paired with a faculty or staff mentor, but Stewart said when the pandemic began and various staff changes occurred, the program fell apart.

Last spring, SJU senior and First-Generation Coordinator Jesus Segovia hoped to restart the mentorship program, this time with students paired together, in conjunction with Stewart and the Multicultural Center.

“There are several peer mentor programs that operate out of the center, so it fits with a lot of what we are trying to do,” Stewart said via email. “Peer-to-peer mentoring is impactful and well-researched, so we know it will benefit first-generation college student participants.”

Stewart said the process for selecting mentors involved a competitive application and careful consideration from the FGO team. Once chosen, these mentors participated in an individual training session.

“We actually had almost 40 applications for the 10 mentor positions available,” he said. “We selected mentors based on their application and took into consideration what other things they were involved with. Being a mentor is a leadership opportunity, so it was important to give people who haven’t held formal leadership roles opportunities to lead.”

SJU junior and First-Generation Coordinator Jesus Medina collaborated with Segovia last spring, along with fellow coordinator Taja Longley, CSB class of ’23, to make plans to launch First2First this fall. Medina said he hopes the program makes the transition to college easier for students.

“It’s hopefully going to help them convert from the high school mentality to the college mentality,” Medina said.

Throughout the semester, mentors will accompany their mentees to a minimum of three events: one social, one academic and one professional. Medina said mentors are encouraged to plan additional activities outside of those requirements, which is something he believes will help mentees adjust socially.

“Not having a social life is difficult,” he said. “Outside of the main events, if they want to continue to hang out, then that’s the plan.”

Medina said that mentors will help guide their mentees to other clubs and organizations beyond FGO, which will help them adjust to college life and set themselves up for future opportunities.

“Connections are the key to college, and outside of college too,” he said. “You’ve got to find the people who are going to support you and take care of you, and also look for other clubs as well.”

First2First mentoring is meant to last only for the first semester of the academic year, but both Stewart and Medina expressed their hope that this program will continue into next year. They would also like to see more participants as mentors in the spring, and new mentees next fall.

CSB senior Jocelyn Larson has two mentees through First2First, which had its official kickoff event last week. She said her desire to be a first-generation mentor came from her personal experiences the last four years.

“I was lucky enough to have an older sister at St. Ben’s who paved the way and guided me in my first-gen college journey,” she said via email. “I understand not every student has that resource, and I want to be someone other first-generation Bennies can come to with questions, looking for advice or simply to be a source of encouragement.”

CSB first-year Jenell Zavaleta Rodriguez is one of Larson’s mentees and said First2First allows her to have a direct person to contact as she handles the logistics of college.

“I remember having to apply to colleges, write multiple essays and fill out the FAFSA alone in my senior year of high school because my family was unfamiliar with the process,” she said via email. “It was hard, but now that there’s this program, I know that if I ever have a question or doubt on how to navigate through college, I can just reach out to my mentor.”

Medina said that overall, the main goal of First2First is to make sure first-generation students feel accepted and create a support system during their first year at college.

“It’s going to be difficult in the beginning, but once you reach out and find support and find those resources and the group of people that you feel most connected to, then you’ll be able to succeed in college,” Medina said.