Being first in the family to attend college can mean learning two things at once: the subjects on a course schedule and how the university itself works. At University of the Pacific, a November 5 celebration will recognize first-generation students while bringing campus resources and community into the same gathering.
The First-Gen Celebration takes place Thursday, November 5, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the McCaffrey Center on Pacific’s Stockton campus. Student Life and SUCCESS TRiO are listed as organizers. The announcement promises music and campus resources, with free churros for the first 200 students.
Making the unfamiliar easier to navigate
Pacific defines first-generation students as those whose parent or parents did not complete a four-year college degree. That family history does not describe a student’s ability or ambition. It can, however, shape how familiar the processes surrounding college feel.
In a November 2024 university story about the First Gen Hub, student Paloma Morales ’25 described uncertainty about financial aid and course registration. Her account points to practical questions that can sit alongside academic work: where to go, who to ask and which steps come next…