First Generation College Students
Resilient. Determined. Adaptable. Unique Perspective.
First-generation college students often bring all these qualities and more to the workforce, contributing to a dynamic and inclusive work environment, fostering creativity and innovation, and making them valuable contributors to their teams and organizations.
At the same time, first-generation students may face some specific challenges in their academic and career planning and search process. Often, these students describe feeling unfamiliar with the college environment or workplace norms, having limited access to professional networks, and feeling a pressure to succeed while also balance competing responsibilities that place a limit on their time and financial resources for career exploration and development.
If this sounds familiar, here are some recommendations and resources to provide additional support:
- Connect with other first generation students or check out the resources available at Illinois for you
- Network with faculty and staff at Illinois who identify as first generation
- Attend alumni and employer networking events and utilize LinkedIn to connect with alumni to identify career options and build your professional network.
- Participate in the FOCUS Scholar program at The Career Center to receive a scholarship while building your career readiness competencies and professional network!
CareerSpring: a free resource for First-gen/ Low-income
CareerSpring is a free online platform developed exclusively for First-generation and/or Low-income undergraduate college students. They offer skill-building resources, personalized networking and mentoring with professionals in a wide variety of careers and industries, and job and internship employment opportunities.
Register for a free advisee account and benefit from this unique resource today!
Eligibility as defined by CareerSpring:
- First-Generation: neither of your parents graduated from college
AND/OR
- Low-Income: if you have ever qualified for any type of assistance due to limited economic resources, such as free/reduced lunch, Pell Grant, or similar financial aid programs.
Passcode (required for registration): UIUCFG
