Many students attending colleges and universities these days are comfortable with higher education thanks to parents who also went to college. For those whose parents did not, the journey isn’t always so straightforward. That’s one reason why Wofford Firsts was created and why it offers a full week of programming each academic year to highlight and celebrate Wofford’s first-generation students.

Wofford Firsts held this year’s First-Gen Week during the week of Nov. 4-11. It was the first edition to be held in partnership with Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha), an honor society for first-generation college students, defined as a student whose parents, stepparents and/or legal guardians did not complete a bachelor’s degree. 

“First-gen students bring a lot to Wofford’s campus, and I always like to show appreciation to them,” says Dr. James Stukes, assistant dean of student success and college access. “This week definitely is a highlight and a tribute to that.”

First-Gen Week 2024 featured programming to connect and showcase Wofford’s many first-generation students, who make up about 14% of its student population.

The week began with a tailgate at the AMS House ahead of Wofford’s season openers in basketball. Later, the first-gen students competed in first-to-go bingo and showed their colors with a CREATE session of picture frame art. Stukes led a discussion in the Burwell Anna Todd Room on topics regarding first-generation students, including the common obstacles they face in higher education.

The highlight of the week was Tri-Alpha’s induction of 20 students into its chapter during a ceremony on Nov. 8, which is also National First-Generation College Celebration Day. Since 2023, Wofford’s chapter has inducted 49 members into the society.

The festivities wrapped up on Nov. 11 with a first-generation mixer at the house of President Nayef Samhat, who was also a first-gen student in college.

Tri-Alpha recognized Samhat’s college journey and professional career by making him one of four members of Wofford’s faculty, staff or alumni who were inducted this year. The group also includes Erica Brown ’00, city councilwoman for Spartanburg District 6, and Dr. Lori Cruze, associate professor of biology, who told Tri-Alpha in a Q&A, “The honor of being inducted into Tri-Alpha reflects the achievements of first-generation college students, and I am privileged to be part of this organization.”

The final inductee was Stukes, who was a first-gen student at East Tennessee State University. He says he was surprised by the announcement, which he called “an honor,” just as he was surprised to learn that he was a first-gen student after he graduated from ETSU.

“I didn’t know I was first-gen,” says Stukes, whose older sister attended college before him. “That’s how first-gen I was. I didn’t realize I was first-gen until grad school. … Once I realized that, it answered a lot of the questions for some of things I may have struggled with in undergrad.”

MauriAnna Richardson ’25, president of Wofford’s Tri-Alpha chapter, knew she was first-gen. What she learned along the way, though, was how much support the college could give her to do things she couldn’t have imagined before enrolling. “I’m finding a community here,” says Richardson, who is planning to study abroad in the Interim.

“I definitely see the impact,” says Stukes of Wofford Firsts. “I’ve had alums reach out to me saying, ‘Hey, I wish this was here when I was there.’ … We’ve had alums and alumna come back to do panels or just engage with current first-gen students. Faculty and staff who were first-gen, they’ve been engaged as well. 

“It’s definitely been a work in progress, but each year, it gets better and better.”