The Graduate Student Center is planning a series of spaces and sessions dedicated to celebrating and supporting first-generation graduate students at Penn – those who are the first in their immediate family to attend graduate school and pursue a graduate degree. The goal is simple: to build community, share guidance and resource information, and make sure first-gen graduate students know they’re not navigating this journey alone.
We’re looking for Penn staff who are interested in hosting a space, facilitating, or co-facilitating a session — whether that’s because:
- You’re a first-gen graduate student yourself, or
- You work in a role, have expertise, or simply carry a passion that makes you want to show up for this community
Our target timeframe for programming this semester is the upcoming month of November, aligned with National First-Generation College Celebration Week (November 2–6).
If this resonates with you, please take a couple of minutes to fill out our brief interest form linked here: Fall 2026 First Generation Graduate Student Programming Interest Form.
Questions? Feel free to email Kayla Richards, Director of Student Services and Community Building at Weitzman, at kayr@upenn.edu.