As Colgate University’s First-Generation Celebration Week— which honors Colgate students who are the first in their families to attend college— comes to a close, it is important to recognize the people responsible for coordinating the week’s events. Assistant Dean for Administrative Advising and Giovanni ’94 and Maree Cutaia Director of First@Colgate RajHai Spencer is one of the staff members who worked hard to create a week that highlights Colgate first-generation students and their achievements.
Spencer explained the origins of Colgate’s first-generation celebration week.
“First@Colgate began in the fall of 2020 following a five year pilot program. The national first-generation college celebration began in 2017 to raise awareness of the first-generation college identity and recognize the achievements of the first-generation community. It is celebrated on or around November 8 which is the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965,” Spencer said. “Prior to my arrival at Colgate in 2020 there was a National First-Generation Day Celebration. Since 2020, we have made it a multi-day, week-long celebration here at Colgate.”
For First-Generation Celebration Week, First@Colgate organized a wide variety of activities, from community service events with COVE to student mixers with faculty members. Spencer emphasized how integral the planning committee, which consisted of several first-generation Colgate students, was to the success of these events.
“Having more people at the table with different ideas and strengths to call upon [was great],” Spencer said. “We hope to expand this committee next year and add more student, faculty and staff voices.”
Two new events Spencer highlighted that the committee arranged for this year’s Celebration Week include the Pop-Up Dance Event on Thursday, Nov. 7, and the First Formal on Friday, Nov. 8. At the Pop-Up Dance Event, Colgate dance groups including Latin American Dance (LAD), Sipsam and WolfPack are scheduled to perform and provide an opportunity for attendees to participate as well. The First Formal will welcome both first-generation and continuing generation students to the Hall of Presidents in James C. Colgate Hall for an enchanted forest-themed night of dancing, featuring first-generation students as the event’s photographer and DJ.
Spencer and the committee behind First-Generation Celebration Week strive not only to showcase the talents and experiences of First-Generation students, but to demonstrate the on campus resources and peer support Colgate offers, particularly to first-year first-generation students.
“As we celebrate First-Generation Week I hope that our students have the opportunity to reflect on the ways in which Colgate has become a home for them, a place where they can set down roots and grow into the best versions of themselves,” Spencer said.” I hope that our first-year first-gen students will see that there is a network of support for them on this campus and that the upper-level students that have been here have not only been in their shoes but also play an important role in creating an environment that is welcoming and will allow them to develop a sense of belonging.”
Though First-Generation Celebration Week aims primarily to highlight the unique talents and accomplishments of Colgate’s first-generation students, Spencer explained that she hopes continuing generation students can learn more about the experiences of their first-generation peers.
“I hope that non-first-gen students will understand that many of their peers carry identities that may not be visible to them but impact the ways in which they navigate this campus,” Spencer said. “I would also like them to know that their advocacy and ally-ship are important to fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.”
