First-generation students inducted in inaugural honors society chapter
Thirty-seven people, including 26 first-generation students, were inducted into CSB+SJU's first Alpha Alpha Alpha chapter on Sunday. After induction, members of Tri-Alpha are provided with resources for academic help, financial literacy and professional connections.
First-generation students continued to blaze a trail at CSB and SJU. On April 16, the first members of the CSB+SJU chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha were inducted. Tri-Alpha is a national honors society for first-generation students founded at Moravian University in 2018. The chapter provides an opportunity for students to build community and confidence and to gain support as they navigate college.
Malik Stewart, director of Multicultural Student Services, introduced the idea of starting a Tri-Alpha chapter at CSB+SJU at the beginning of the school year. First-Generation Coordinators Taja Longley, a senior at CSB, and Jesus Medina Jr., a sophomore at SJU, have been working since August to see this hope turn into reality. They worked through the fall to complete the application and required forms for the chapter and spent this spring semester recruiting and finalizing the induction. Twenty-six students, seven faculty and staff and four honorary members were inducted in the ceremony.
Longley and Medina Jr. themselves are first-generation students. They expressed joy and pride in overseeing the first group of inductees to the CSB+SJU chapter of Tri-Alpha. Inductees received cords, pins and certificates at the ceremony and heard from Carol Bruess, herself a first generation student. Bruess discussed her own experiences struggling in an institution of higher learning and feeling unsure what she wanted to pursue. This was a comforting message for students who are navigating the complex world of college with the added pressure of being the first in their families to do so. Members of Tri-Alpha will receive resources for academic help, financial literacy and connections in the professional world.
“It’s really about networking,” Longley said. “Coming into college, you don’t really know much, and there’s not a community [for you]. It’s providing a community for first-gen students that’s more academic -based.”
Students will be invited to workshops and events to emphasize the importance of networking and build familiarity with this skill. The structure of the program is still in the works, with elections for the executive board upcoming. The board will help determine events for the chapter. As an academic organization, applicants must have a 3.2 GPA as well as 30 credits already completed. Longley and Medina Jr. are working on a mentorship program for first-year students to bridge the gap before they are eligible for Tri-Alpha. Medina Jr. encourages current first generation students to consider signing up for Tri-Alpha.
“Tri-Alpha is a good opportunity to build new skills, work on the skills they have and understand the importance of networking,” he said.
Sophomores Arlette Lazaro and Gaby Perez Sanchez are excited and honored to be part of Tri-Alpha.
“I joined Tri-Alpha because it is a way for me to be part of a community where I can feel supported. Also, it is a way to show those who have been part of my college career to become proud of the hard work I have done with their help. Being able to celebrate this achievement with the people I love means the world to me and makes me proud to be First Gen,”
Perez Sanchez said via email. Lazaro echoed this statement of receiving community and support and added how Tri-Alpha can also provide an opportunity for her to give support.
“I have always loved the idea of learning from my mistakes and teaching others to do better than I ever could. So, when I got the opportunity to join Tri-Alpha, I knew the chapter would help me advance toward my career and be able to share my experiences,” Lazaro said via email. “I’m proud that Tri-Alpha is officially honoring the achievements of first-generation students.”