First-year first-generation college students gathered on Thursday, Nov. 20 to share a meal and join in a community event during the First- Year, First-Generation College Student Dinner and Conversation sponsored by the Diversity Center and the Office of Multicultural Student Services.

The meal offered a chance for First-year students who are the first in their family to attend college to share experiences and discuss topics ranging from stereotypes, expectations, goals, stigmas, jobs and careers, and family involvement in the students’ college experiences.

Sophomore Andi Twiss said that this year’s event was inspired by a similar dinner hosted by Kate Knutson and Martin Lang last year.

“We felt like it was such a productive meeting, and so a few of us decided to host a second one. Since I’m an intern in the D-center and they are focused on serving historically underrepresented students, they’re definitely taking on the first-generation as a population which they serve,” Twiss said.

Kata Traxler, Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Programs and Services in the Diversity and Multi-Cultural Office also addressed the motivations for hosting the dinner.

“First generation students are definitely a noticeable population on Gustavus’ campus, and we really wanted to reach out and make sure that we were being encompassing in our diversity initiatives,” Traxler said.

First-years Sam Gibson and Allison Hansen were in attendance at the dinner.

“I thought it was a great experience. I’m glad I came. It was really great to see just where everyone’s coming from, learning about the different resources that are available to us,” Hansen said.

Gibson also reflected on her experience.

“I learned that there’s many different types of first generation students and that there’s a lot of resources including the Diversity Center that help with first generation students,” Gibson said.

Traxler and Twiss noted that such resources in the future will include weekly events during J-term hosted by the Diversity Center for first-year, first-generation students.

“Overall, people were just really open and honest about their experiences, and were able to laugh about stuff and just be ourselves as first-gens as well as talk about how that makes us different, but also unique and the same,” Twiss said of the gathering.

Twiss also encourages students interested in learning more about resources available to first generation students to contact the Diversity Center for more information.

“If it’s a first-generation student just seeking community or anything like that, just walk into the D-center any day of the week,” Twiss said.

-Libby Larson