First-Gen Champions

2026 First-Gen Champions

These outstanding individuals were nominated by members of our campus community in recognition of their exceptional support and service to first-gen students. Embodying the spirit of this year’s theme, First of Many, we recognize the important role these champions play in helping first-gen students navigate their college journeys, discover new opportunities, and achieve milestones they may have never imagined possible.

Join us as we celebrate these deserving colleagues!

"What makes Mai a First-Gen Champion is the way she creates space for students to show up authentically and determine what success looks like for themselves. Students repeatedly describe Mai as someone who listens without judgment, values their perspectives, and recognizes that strategies that work for one student may not work for another. As one student beautifully shared, “Mai has been an amazing coach… I’m always comfortable and she has never made me feel bad about anything.” Through that combination of care, curiosity, and individualized support, Mai helps first-gen students develop the confidence and agency to navigate the University on their own terms. I am grateful for the compassion, thoughtfulness, and dedication Mai brings to our students."

"Elizabeth carries out the TRIO SSS mission ensuring students feel welcomed at events and in the office. She coaches student workers and the student board to help build their knowledge and skill set and grow their self-efficacy and autonomy. Her leadership has consistently encouraged and empowered the student board to actively lead and engage in TRIO activities. She ensures our student workers are supported in the work they do and are acknowledged for their accomplishments which helps support the work of the overall program."

"Few individuals have done more to build and sustain the University’s commitment to first-gen student success. From helping launch First-Gen Celebration Week to envisioning and advocating for the creation of the First-Gen Student Success Center, LeeAnn has helped create structures that will support students long beyond any one person’s tenure. Her legacy is visible not only in the programs and units she has helped build, but in the thousands of first-gen students whose University experience is stronger because of her leadership. I cannot think of a more fitting person to recognize as a First-Gen Champion."

"Amy defines what it means to be a champion. Her longstanding commitment to students and understanding of TRIO’s mission continue to strengthen the programs and the students they serve. She consistently voices her support for students and seeks opportunities to enhance the overall student experience. She intentionally looks at ways she can influence systems within CEHD to serve and expand opportunities for first-gen, TRIO, and PES students. She has done this in her work overseeing advising, scholarships, and career services."

"Dr. Roby is loud and proud about her own lived experience as a first-gen student and scholar (and TRIO/McNair alum). She consistently shows up in all higher ed spaces with enthusiasm for welcoming first-gen and other historically excluded students, and shares a systems-critical lens for analyzing why our institutions have been more accessible to some people than others throughout our history. She ensures that our Women's Center team participates in UMN's First-Gen Week program every November, and also led us to host a First-Gen Women's Panel in March 2026 as part of our Women's History Month programming suite. She always walks down the hallway to Appleby Rm 27 to visit the First-Gen student space and encourage them to join us in our Women's Center space. She enthusiastically serves as a First Too mentor."

"Jeff is always a great champion for first-gen students working to support students before they're even UMN students. His work helps to build pipelines and help students see themselves in the business world. He is a strong advocate for first-gen students and continually works to build community and connection in this space."

"As a first-gen grad himself, Nathan brings a meaningful perspective to his work, recognizing that students cannot be expected to know how to navigate systems and opportunities they may be encountering for the first time. What makes his impact especially meaningful is that Nathan does more than provide information; he helps first-gen students recognize their own potential and see possibilities for their futures that may have once felt unfamiliar or out of reach. Through his individualized coaching, classroom teaching, and commitment to making career development accessible, he helps students navigate college with greater clarity, build connections that expand their opportunities, and develop the agency to shape their own paths."

"What makes Joe a First-Gen Champion is the extraordinary breadth of ways he creates opportunities for students to belong, connect, grow, and imagine what is possible for themselves. Whether he is welcoming a new student to campus through Emerge, coaching a Peer Mentor to become a stronger leader, creating an event that connects students with a new opportunity, helping remove a financial barrier through a scholarship, or celebrating first-gen identity alongside campus partners during First-Gen Celebration Week, Joe approaches this work with genuine care and an unwavering belief in our students. Joe does not simply create programs for first-gen students; he creates communities in which first-gen students are known, supported, challenged, celebrated, and empowered to thrive."

"As a first-gen college graduate himself, Joe brings personal understanding and a social justice lens to this work. Through his supervision of the mentoring program, Joe helps create opportunities for students to build meaningful relationships, receive guidance, and strengthen their sense of belonging. His approach recognizes that supporting first-gen students means not only helping them navigate college but also addressing barriers that can affect their experiences and success. Joe’s advocacy also extends to his research and efforts to share knowledge with others. He brings care and intentionality to his work while seeking broader changes that help first-gen students feel supported, valued, and equipped to succeed."

"Joe supports so much of the PES program including our summer bridge, event programming, and supervising our peer mentor staff. In PES, first-gen students make up close to 80% of our student population. Joe makes himself available to many of our student leaders, supporting them in navigating hidden curriculum. He served last year and is serving again this year as a First Too mentor, even taking on additional mentees as needed to support the mentoring program."

"Alejandra is often a first contact for students with questions regarding the Honors Program, providing patient and caring guidance to the hidden curriculum at the U. Her assessment work highlights ways that our program can better serve and support first-gen students, among other underserved populations. Alejandra regularly analyzes and presents data on the success and retention rates of our first-gen students so that UHP can find opportunities to better serve them. Alejandra also serves on our program’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, and she led efforts to develop a “First Generation NEXUS experience,” a non-course learning opportunity for first-gen honors students to connect with each other, explore their identities and context on campus, and connect with UHP staff invested in their success. This experience is currently being held for the first time in Fall 2026."

"Tricia is not only a first-gen alum, she has been an incredible supervisor and resource to first-gen students. She manages the building art and galleries in Student Unions & Activities' facilities, including CMU, St. Paul Student Center, & the West Bank Skyway, and has successfully incorporated more student art and diversity to art installations and programming throughout these spaces, including art and programming specifically geared toward first-gen students. I've also witnessed the significant impact she's made on the first-gen students she's supervised, not only in their professional development but as a personal support and mentor to them as they've navigated their time at the University."

"Lissa develops meaningful, sustained relationships with students, helping them navigate academic challenges, identify goals, connect with resources and opportunities, and develop concrete plans for moving forward. Her impact is evident in the words of her students. One shared, “Lissa is a very important person for my journey in college. She is the person that is responsible for keeping me on track and helping me identify my goals for each semester and how to get there. I feel like I am successful because of these meetings.” Another described her simply as an “amazing person” who helped them understand their goals and how to achieve them. These comments reflect the kind of individualized care at the heart of PES Success Coaching."

"Drawing on her first-gen perspective and expertise in mindfulness and imposter syndrome, Christina advocates for systemic change in her current role. She brings a fresh perspective to our academic processes and policies to eliminate outdated barriers, replacing them with creative, student-centered solutions that foster an inclusive environment. Christina leverages her insights into the first-gen experience to design community-building initiatives and peer support spaces tailored to students navigating complex institutional structures and intense workloads. Christina also co-leads efforts within the CVM Care Corners initiative, providing critical food and financial support to DVM students. Informed by her own experience as a first-gen student and oldest sibling, she offers empathetic mentorship and actionable guidance to help students adapt to rigorous programs far from their primary support systems."

"In Ntxhee's work with Health Profession Pathways Program students—of which 98% are first-gen students—she is championing students in pursuit of their goals towards a health career. Ntxhee meets one-on-one with all Pathways students and advises them on aspects of the "hidden curriculum" related to the pre-health student journey. Ntxhee establishes relationships with staff in the health science programs and schools to create connection for first-gen students in those spaces. She fosters relationships with students in mind so that they can be directly connected to the programs and schools they are interested in attending. As a first-gen student herself, she is consistently motivating and sharing with students her experiences and perspectives to encourage them through the challenges they face in their pre-health journeys."

"Rita consistently brings a first-gen student lens and approach to her work—first as a CEHD academic advisor, and now as a career coach with CEHD Student Services. As a co-instructor for our career planning course, EDHD 2701, I remain so impressed with Rita's ability to build rapport with her students while prioritizing the first-gen experience, acknowledging these students are often the ones who experience the most barriers when it comes to major exploration and career planning. Rita maintains a warm presence on campus and collaborates with various offices regularly to assure that first-gen students receive the holistic support, guidance, and resources they need to thrive academically and professionally."

"Margaret does a great job of helping students decode the hidden curriculum. She is patient in walking them through an often very complicated transfer process, even when she's answered the same questions many, many times before. She also will point out when we have policies or procedures creating undue barriers for students. Furthermore, she has worked to refer incoming first-gen students to our Transfer Coaching Community, often with a warm handoff. She also helps read applications for this program (whose constituents are often first-gen). We are a huge college and even bigger university, and Margaret helps all students—but particularly first-gen students—to not even necessarily realize this because she anticipates obstacles and meets them where they are."

"Britney continually steps up and supports first-gen students in all ways. In her work in the career space, she breaks down barriers and helps students find their authentic voice in the workplace. She helps to create new programs and initiatives to support students as they build their careers and navigate college. She's also leading Carlson's First-Gen Team this year and bringing new energy and joy to this space."

"Claudia previously managed communications from the Career Center specifically tailored to first-gen college students, who then came to pursue their law degree with information keeping them informed and competitive with their peers. She approaches student work from a kind and curious point of view, ensuring no assumptions are made when meeting with students and all topics are welcome to be discussed. As a leader, Claudia guides our team in considering what is the best message for our programs and communications, whether it's someone new to the legal field or who has some background with the profession. We are lucky to have her at UMN!"

"Nathan was instrumental in creating and launching the First-Generation Student Study Abroad Scholarship. He worked closely with campus partners to develop the scholarship and continues to collaborate with them to promote this opportunity to students through info sessions, student panels, and individual advising. Nathan supports and guides scholarship recipients through the study abroad planning and award processes. His work has demonstrated his commitment to making study abroad more accessible to first-gen students."

"Carolyn has a special way to connect with TRIO SSS & first-gen students that makes their experiences feel validated while holding them to high academic rigor. As an instructor for the TRIO Integrated Learning Courses, EDHD 1620, she teaches students through an asset-based model and scaffold students' learning so that they can be successful in PSY 1001. Carolyn's support for first-gen students is through her deep love of connecting with people so that students are seen for who they want to be."

"What makes me especially excited to nominate Hnub is that her commitment to first-gen students has continued beyond her time with PES and into her current role with the First-Gen Student Success Center. I have watched Hnub grow tremendously as a student affairs professional, but the qualities at the heart of her work have remained constant: kindness, humility, deep listening, and a genuine belief in students and their potential. Hnub has an extraordinary ability to make students feel that they have someone in their corner, and I can think of few qualities more representative of what it means to be a First-Gen Champion."

"Padah carries herself with optimism and upbeat energy. Students find her approachable and open which is essential in building strong advising relationships with first-gen students. She takes time to listen, reflect what she is hearing, and offer options to students. Padah oversees the Integrated Learning Program for TRIO & PES students. This year, she opened registration to nonTRIO/PES first-gen students as there is a need for navigational and academic support tied to CHEM, BIO, and PSYCH. She has served as co-chair for the CEHD First-Gen Committee for the past 2 years identifying ways to support the needs of first-gen CEHD students."

2026 First-Gen Champions

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