F1rst Gen On the Hill
We are glad you are here to Climb With Us! As a first-generation student, you are already demonstrating your resilience and resourcefulness, but we all know the climb can be steep. Think of the resources and engagement opportunities on this page as climbing tools that can help you reach the Top and benefit you even after graduation.
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WKU defines first-generation as “neither parent graduated from a traditional four-year college.” It does not mean that you are the first one in your family to attend college. In addition, a student is considered "first generation" if their parents graduated with an associate's degree (two-year degree), attended college but did not graduate, or had a sibling graduate with a bachelor's degree. About 30% of WKU undergraduate students are first-generation. (The chart shows data for 2022.) Additional details are available in the downloadable/printable fact sheets, below. First Gen Fact Sheet 2022 First Gen Fact Sheet 2023 |
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First-generation college students are trailblazers who are working hard to overcome challenges, achieve their dreams, and prove that hard work can break barriers.
Come celebrate with food, music, and games! Meet other first-generation students and share your story.
Nine first-gen WKU alumni will visit classrooms across campus to share insights from their journeys.
Join us at Fresh for lunch. Meet other first-gen students and advocates. A limited number of FREE Fresh passes are available with pre-registration! Email us at firstgen@wku.edu before November 13 to let us know you will be there. Instructions for pass pickup will be included in the confirmation.
Make It Count
All students are welcome at our workshops. See the Upcoming Events list for details. Participation will earn points toward completion grant eligibility. Refer to the Suitable information on this page for more information.
National First-Gen Celebration Week
Join us as we raise awareness for the first-generation experience each November. Our National Celebration activities include the First-Gen Alumni-in-Residence program in cooperation with the WKU Alumni Association and the academic colleges.
Mentorship Program
Coming Soon! Students will be matched with a student, faculty/staff, or alumni success coach who can provide guidance and encouragement. You may want a coach who can help you set goals; select a major; prepare for high impact practices such as student research and study abroad; prepare for your profession or grad school; and much more. If you think this is a great idea, leave a comment! Your input will help us gauge interest and refine the program.
F1rst 2 the Hill Academy
Begin in your second year, continue till you graduate! Participants in this cohort program receive leadership training, career skills training, mentors, scholarship opportunities, and more. There is NO cost for participants, and participants who engage with the program may be eligible for a completion grant. Have questions? Scroll down to the webform and send us a message!
F1rstGen High School Summer Camp
For high school students who will be first-generation college students. More information and the interest form link is on the camp webpage.
F1rstGen Living Learning Community
This LLC is for incoming first-time, first-year WKU students. Students who are unsure of their major are preferred. More information and link to housing application is on the LLC webpage.
F1rstGen Student Ambassadors
Help us spread the word and plan events! In addition to supporting first-generation students, ambassadors have opportunities for scholarships and engagement that can help with academic and professional goals. Juniors preferred.
Use the Suitable app to see a comprehensive list of activities and track your participation in F1rstGen programs.
- Suitable is free.
- Eligibility for completion grants and other incentives will be determined by pathway
completions and total points earned!
- At the end of the fall semester, students who are in the top 10 positions on the Suitable
Leaderboard AND at least 50% complete in the "First Generation First Year Experience"
or "First Generation Second Year Experience" achievement will receive a $250 completion
grant.
- At the end of the spring semester, students who are in the top 10 positions on the Suitable Leaderboard AND have completed either the "First Generation First Year Experience" or "First Generation Second Year Experience" achievement will receive a $250 completion grant.
- At the end of the fall semester, students who are in the top 10 positions on the Suitable
Leaderboard AND at least 50% complete in the "First Generation First Year Experience"
or "First Generation Second Year Experience" achievement will receive a $250 completion
grant.
- Points earned for completing F1rstGen activities may count toward other campus programs that also use Suitable.
- If you use Suitable to access activities for Gordon Ford College of Business, Mahurin
Honors College, Student Activities, or the College of Health and Human Services, be
sure to switch to CITL Student Success to see F1rstGen activities and pathways. Use
the drop down list at the top of your screen.
- Use the curated pathways- called Achievements- in Suitable to focus on the activities we think will help you most. Pathways include: First Year, Second Year, and various competency- and program-focused options. Not all students will see all pathways.
- Enable Notifications to receive timely information regarding upcoming events, attendance incentives, and more.
- Be sure to "complete" the activity in Suitable to earn your points.
- Each activity will help you develop one of the following competencies. These competencies mesh the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies with the skills needed to excel as part of the WKU student body.
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- Career & Professional Development
- Communication & Community Building
- Personal Development & Wellbeing
- Leadership & Service
- Academic Engagement & Achievement
- Download the Suitable app from your app store (Google Play or Apple)
- Sign in with your Topper email and password
- Choose CITL Student Success
- Enable Push Notifications (this will ensure you get notifications about upcoming events, you will receive less than five per week)
- Enable access to your camera so you can use your phone to scan QR codes at events and earn points
- To upload a profile photo, click the gear icon in the top right corner and select Scorecard
If you previously logged in to Suitable as part of another WKU program, use the drop
down list at the very top of your screen to switch to CITL Student Success to see
F1rstGen options.
You may also access the app on your desktop at this link.
- Complete an activity by scanning a QR, entering a reflection, submitting a file (photo, doc, etc.), or answering questions. Each activity has specific information about what you need to do to Complete the activity and earn points.
- Activities that involve more work on your part are worth more points.
- Tags can help you find and select activities to complete:
- On Your Own: This activity can be completed on your own schedule.
- Scheduled Event: Attendance at a particular day and time is required for completion.
- BG Campus: Must be in-person on the BG campus to complete.
- Regional: Must be in-person on the designated Regional campus to complete.
- Any Location: This event can be completed by students- including online students- regardless of location.
- Additional tags will help you search for activities that apply to you or filter out activities that do not apply to you. Examples include: First Year, Second Year, LLC, and more.
Achievements:
These curated pathways include activites targeted at a designated group. If you are a first year student, activities most useful to you are included in the First Year achievement. You may complete additional activities outside your achievement to earn more points.
Questions? Use the webform at the bottom of this page or email firstgen@wku.edu for assistance.
Faculty and Staff Advocates
WKU doesn't just have first-generation students, many of the faculty, staff, and alumni are also first-generation graduates and are committed to helping you succeed. You can also see a list of faculty and staff advocates. If you need to engage with a new program or build your network, there is an advocate who can help!
WKU Alumni Association First-Gen Advocates
The First-Generation Alumni Advocates Program connects first-generation WKU Alumni with first-generation WKU students to offer support and guidance. Advocates share their stories, create awareness and directly engage with first-generation students from recruitment to graduation and beyond.
Use the list controls to sort and search these terms.
| Terminology | Definitions and Tips |
|---|---|
| Provost | Chief academic officer of the university, Dr. Bud Fischer. Reports directly to the President. |
| Faculty | University employees who teach classes, conduct research, and perform services such as advising student groups and working on committees. Tip: If in doubt, call them Professor. Call them Doctor if they have earned a Ph.D., Ed.D, or other doctoral level degree. |
| Office Hours (aka Student Hours) | The time a faculty person sets aside to be available to students outside of class. Tip: Use office hours to get to know your professor. Don't wait until you have a problem! |
| First-generation WKU Student | Neither of the student's parents/guardians has a four-year, or higher, college degree from an accredited university or college in the United States. |
| Registrar | Maintains all academic records, current and past. This includes registration for courses, grades, degree programs, approving graduation eligibility, and transcripts. |
| College | There are five academic colleges within Western Kentucky University: PCAL, OCSE, CHHS, GFCB, and CEBS. Each academic college is led by a Dean. |
| Academic Standing | A "C" average (GPA 2.0) or better is required to be in "good" academic standing. You must be in good academic standing to receive federal financial assistance. Tip: Some programs require higher than "C" average. Aim high, especially in your major! |
| Dean | The leader of a college. Also, Dean of Libraries and Dean of Students. |
| Drop/Add | The time during the beginning of a semester when courses can be dropped or added without a penalty. |
| Plagiarism | Presenting someone else's ideas as your own. Tip: Don't do it! |
| Syllabus | A document that outlines the essential information about a college course. Tip: review the course syllabus early and note important dates on your calendar! Return to the syllabus throughout the semester, as needed. |
| Student Ombuds Officer | An impartial point of contact for students who have questions about university policies. |
| President | The university's chief executive officer. Reports to the Board of Regents. |
| Staff | Staff are university employees working in offices, taking care of buildings, and serving students across campus. "Faculty" and "Staff" are considered two separate classifications, but some staff members also teach courses. |
| Advisor | A designated faculty or staff member who helps a student choose and register for classes and select an overall course of study. |
| Blackboard | This is the Learning Management System (LMS) used by WKU faculty to house course information, assignments, and grades. Tip: How Blackboard is used by a particular faculty person can vary. Be sure to log in early and be familiar with each course! |
| FERPA | The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects student information. This means that your information can only be shared with "non-essential" individuals, including your parents, with your written consent. |
| Financial Assistance | Financial assistance or financial aid includes grants and scholarships (money you don't pay back), loans (money you pay back with interest), and money you can earn (stipends and work-study). Tip: Complete your FAFSA every year to help ensure that you receive the maximum amount of financial assistance. |
| Major | The area of study that you choose to pursue. Each major includes a list of courses and a minimum number of overall course hours to take. (Note: The number of hours required for a specific major will count toward the requirement to have 120 course hours in order to graduate.) |
| General Education | At WKU, the general education program is The Colonnade Program. General education is a part of all accredited four-year/Bachelor's degrees. The program is designed to ensure that each student has foundational skills, knowledge, and perspective to be an effective professional and better citizen. |
| Matriculate | To enroll at a college or university as a degree-seeking student. |
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