It’s a first for Colorado State University concerning “firsts.” The First-Generation Summit on Sunday and Monday is CSU’s inaugural run to bring higher education leaders from across the state together to support students who are the first in their families to pursue degrees.
“Serving first generation students is the core of the mission of Colorado State University,” said Ryan Barone, the Assistant Vice President for Student Success. Barone says the roots of that commitment are inherent in CSU’s founding as the state’s land-grant university. From the beginning in 1870, its mandate was to create a path for children of working-class families to improve their standing.
Colorado State was the first university in the nation to offer scholarships for first generation students back in 1984. This fall, CSU has the most first-gen students it’s ever had – over 6,500. They make up 25% of the undergraduate class. More than a quarter of freshmen are first-gen…