Maricopa Community Colleges joins higher education institutions nationwide to honor the achievements and determination of first-generation college students on First-Generation College Celebration Day, November 8. The annual event recognizes students who are the first in their families to complete a four-year college or university degree.
“We are incredibly proud of our first-generation college students, whose determination and achievements enrich our 10 colleges,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges. “We understand the unique challenges these students face and provide vital services and resources in order to help them succeed."
This year, First-Generation College Celebration Day coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Higher Education Act, signed into law on November 8, 1965. This landmark legislation strengthened educational resources and expanded access to postsecondary education through federal financial aid programs, regardless of income.
Why It Matters
Arizona ranks third in the nation, with nearly 44% of all college students being the first in their families to attend college. As Arizona’s and the nation’s largest community college system, 47% of Maricopa Community Colleges’ students are first-generation. Additionally, 60% of students entering the system’s 11 bachelor’s degree programs are first-generation college students.
The Big Picture
First-generation college students are trailblazers in higher education for their families. Without prior parental experience to guide them through the college process and understand the available financial resources, these students face unique challenges as they pursue their academic journeys.
To help students succeed, each of the system’s 10 colleges offers comprehensive wraparound support services. These resources include new student orientation, academic advising, career planning, counseling, tutoring, computer labs, and university transfer guidance. These initiatives are vital, as success in their freshman year is a key indicator for first-generation college students' ability to return the next year and ultimately graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
A Path to Early College Success
Serving over 100 high schools in Maricopa County, the Achieving a College Education (ACE) program is one of Maricopa Community Colleges’ early college programs available to high school students. ACE allows eligible high school juniors and seniors to earn up to 24 credits by the time they graduate from high school. The scholarship-based program is designed to help first-generation and at-risk students transition from high school to college and complete a degree, providing them with a clear path to early college success.
Proud to Be First
Taide Pineda exemplifies the determination of first-generation college students. Pineda is attending two colleges full-time, pursuing an Associate in Applied Science in Marketing and Sales at Phoenix College (PC) and a bachelor’s degree in Communications at Arizona State University.
“Being a first-generation college student means achieving something that the generations before me hoped to achieve, but financially were unable to,” said Pineda. “It means raising the bar for my family members moving forward.”
Pineda credits the HSI Elevate, formally known as HSI EXCELence, for providing life-changing resources, including assistance with scholarship applications that allowed continued education.
Learn about Maricopa Community Colleges’ resources for first-generation college students, click here.