Student Success is here for you on your first-gen UMass journey. Check out our resource page for events, recommended resources, and ideas for connecting. Contact us if you have any questions about campus life or your academics. Stay connected to us via Instagram for updates!
Undergraduate Student Success and the First-Generation Experience at UMass
Undergraduate Student Success is committed to supporting and celebrating the first-generation student population at UMass Amherst. An essential part of our community’s history, first-generation students are defined here as those who do not have a parent or guardian who attained a four-year degree. First-gen students come to our campus with many essential perspectives, life experiences, and skills. We encourage students to embrace their ability to achieve their goals as they connect and develop a sense of belonging on campus.
Our unit offers programming, services, and resources to cultivate academic and co-curricular success. Support for first-generation students is a shared mission across our campus, and we collaborate extensively with the academic colleges and departments and Student Affairs & Campus Life. We continue to grow and improve our initiatives, collaborating with students on campus and utilizing success data to drive meaningful, planful action.
Additionally, we are glad to share that UMass Amherst is designated a First-Gen Forward institution by NASPA's Center for First-Generation Student Success. We are grateful for the many students, staff, and faculty who have led, coordinated, and facilitated the initiatives that have earned us this recognition.
Want to learn more about the nationwide movement to support first-generation college student success? Here are some helpful resources: