First-Generation Professionals Luncheon

First-generation students now make up roughly 53–54% of all undergraduates in the United States (FirstGen Forward). While there’s a growing body of research on the support systems and interventions that help first-gen students succeed in college, far less attention has been paid to what happens after graduation — when these same students step into the world of professional work. Join us for a conversation exploring the experiences of first-generation professionals as they navigate careers and workplace culture. Using the Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et al., 1994) as a framework, we’ll discuss the book Charting a Career Path as a First-Generation Higher Education Professional: Decision Making, Families, and the Future (2026) and explore how its concepts can support you — whether you identify as a first-generation professional yourself, or you supervise or work with one. This event is open to faculty and staff.