• ALUMNI
  • PARENTS
  • LOCAL COMMUNITY
  • STUDENTS
  • FACULTY & STAFF
  • A-Z INDEX
  • |
Caption Arrow

Proud to Be First

Proud to Be First is an initiative created to celebrate the values, unique perspectives, and accomplishments of first-generation college students at St. Norbert College.

What is a First-Generation Student?
To be considered a first-generation student, your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not earn a four-year degree in the United States. About 25 percent of the SNC student body, as well as many faculty and staff members, identify as first-generation.

The need for first-generation student support is important and necessary work. The Center for First-Generation Student Success captures why this support is so crucial:

“Ultimately, the term ‘first-generation’ implies the possibility that a student may lack the critical cultural capital necessary for college success because their parents did not attend college. While first-generation students are often quite academically skilled and contribute in many ways to a campus community, navigating the tangled web of college policies, procedures, jargon, and expectations can be a challenge. This pervasive ‘hidden curriculum’ can damage the confidence of first-generation students, lead to struggles in belonging, and result in departure. This opens an opportunity for institutions to provide additional support for these students so they may be as competitive and successful as their peers.”

Advisory Committee
Proud to Be First events and programs are managed by the advisory committee:


Meet the Advisory Committee
Tom Bolin

Tom Bolin
Professor of Theology and Religious Studies
thomas.bolin@snc.edu

Carol Bruess

Carol Bruess
Resident Scholar
carol.bruess@snc.edu

Avery Garcia

Avery Garcia
Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Services
avery.garcia@snc.edu

Alaina Morales

Alaina Morales
Student Success Librarian
alaina.morales@snc.edu

No Image Available

Ruthie Tucker ’22
Student Representative
ruthie.tucker@snc.edu

Carolyn Uhl Carolyn Uhl
Senior Research Analyst
carolyn.uhl@snc.edu
Elly Wiebusch

Elly Wiebusch
Admission Counselor
elly.wiebusch@snc.edu

Back to top arrow