1. K-State home
  2. »Office of Student Success
  3. »First-generation Students

Office of First-generation Students

Graduation familyStudent selfie

Remember to check k-state.edu/COVID-19 for updates and answers to frequently asked questions.

We are here for you

The staff of the Office of First-generation Students is available at our new location in Holtz Hall 101 as well as remotely. You may email us at rpaz@ksu.edu or firstgen@ksu.edu with a question or if you would like to set up a time to meet. Please let us know how we can support you!


First-Generation Student Graduation Celebration

  • The First Generation Gradation Celebration will be held May 12, 2023 from 7:00pm-8:00pm in the K-State Union Forum Hall. To RSVP for this event pleas follow this link.
  • The link will lead you to a qualtrics page were you will provide some information, photos, and k-state memeories. Suring the ceremony there will be a slideshow recognizing each graduating student and the information that they have provided us. 

The image is of an invitation with white corners on the top left and bottom right with the rest of the invitation being purple. The top heading reads please join us in cursive lettering. Then the sub heading following that reads at the 6th annual. Then the next heading reads first-generation student graduation celebration. In the left section underneath that heading the text reads May 12, 2023, 7:00-8:00pm, K-state student union forum hall. The middle section underneath the heading reads family and friends of first-gen k-state graduates are invited to join together in celebration! In the right section underneath the text is a first-gen logo. Then underneath all of this text is a description of how to RSVP through Qualtrics by April 28, 2023. Then at the very bottom there is a Kansas State University logo.

The Front Line of Success

The Office of First-generation Students supports students whose neither parent or guardian completed a four-year college degree by connecting them to campus resources, coordinating efforts across the university to serve them and fostering a first-generation community.


First-Generation Stories Podcast 2022 

Listen/watch various interviews of K-State faculty, staff, and students on what it means to be First-generation. Dustin Meritt, Professor of Practice in the College of Education and First-gen graduate, hosts.   

Faculty/Staff:

Dr. Thomas Lane, Dean of Student Life (Video) 

Dr. Debbie Mercer, Dean of College of Education (Video)

Ryan Van Dusen, Compliance and Conflict Resolution Manager (Sound)

Students:

Tram Pham, Business Major (Video)

Tyoni Williams, Mass Communications Major (Sound)

Kevin Johnson, President of Tri-Alpha and Geology Major (Sound)

Zoom Backgrounds

Check out our First-gen Zoom backgrounds here! 

Tri-Alpha Honorary Society

 

2022 Inductees

 To learn more about Tri-Alpha Honorary Society click here!

If you have more questions, email us at firstgen@ksu.edu


Financial Aid

  • FAFSA information: Follow this link to go to K-State's Office of Student Financial Assistance webpage. There you will find videos from the Federal Student Aid YouTube page that cover how to fill out the FAFSA to what to do next. Check out all the important information about the FAFSA on this webpage.
  • Scholarship and financial aid process: Follow this link to see a step-by-step guide on how to obtain aid, and keep the important dates in mind

 


Instructions to fill out the FAFSA in Spanish, instrucciones para llenar el formulario de FAFSA en español:

 

First forward advisory logo

College Jargon Link

 

Can you think of a term not in our jargon list? Please click here to add your suggestion:

https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_55dSFHsjcU9LlNr