All Stories

"College is about embracing yourself as a learner, inside and outside of the classroom. Explore different classes, but also explore that intramural sport you've always wanted to try, or go to that club meeting you're shy about. Developing your skills as a community member and a leader are just as important as learning the content to your major." – Jazz Espiritu, Head of Program Affairs, Communication Leadership, Department of Communication

"Decades later, UW feels like home. My goal as a professor is to help all my students feel that same sense of belonging, and to foster a place where they can explore and flourish, no matter the path they took to get here." – Christine Harold, Professor and Chair, Department of Communication

"Your education at the UW is an important gateway to opportunities and connections that you might not have otherwise had. The people around you, including your professors, classmates, and mentors, may not look like you or share the same experiences as you, and that is okay. We are all a part of the same UW community. Connect with them to find ways to achieve your goals. Make the most of your time as a Husky." – Alshakim Nelson, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our students and alumni, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

June marks the end of many College of Arts & Sciences students’ undergraduate experience. Interested in attending a graduation ceremony? Check out this extensive list of all the celebrations happening with the College's departments.

Exciting. Confusing. Inspiring. Intimidating. Being a first-generation college student can bring many challenges and emotions. If you are a first-gen student, know that you are in good company. Here, ten UW Arts & Sciences students/alumni who've been in your shoes offer their thoughts on surviving — and thriving — as a first-generation student at the UW. 

"Whether it's talking to students about what it's like being the child of immigrant parents to talking about being the first in their family to work in a white-collar job, it's a privilege to share my story with students so they don't feel out of place at the UW." - Stanley Choi, Graduate Program Advisor, Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences & UW Alum (Communication, '04)

"The lack of familiarity most of us bring to the higher education academy is a detriment to successful navigation. I ask students to learn and share with fellow students and those who aspire to join the academy both course subject matter and the operation of the institution." - John Macklin, Professor Emeritus, Chemistry

"Being a first-gen means that I do not make assumptions about the support students might have or the struggle they face outside of school." - Kelli Kirk, Human Resources Manager, Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture & UW Alum (American Ethnic Studies, '96)