Our Story
Welcome to First to Rise, a student-led initiative dedicated to supporting and celebrating first-generation university students.
First to Rise was created by capstone students (Andrew Rizk, Hargun Singh Mahal, Jasmit Cheema, Lucus Lamacchia, Lauren El Solakhy, Manasvi Pandaya, Sharon Titus, Tanish Thakur) in collaboration with the REACH Lab. Our mission is to improve the physical, mental, emotional well-being, and academic success of first-generation students. Our group has a simple vision: no student should feel like they are growing alone. We believe that first-generation students bring valuable strengths, unique perspectives, and fresh ideas to the table.
The importance of our initiative is undeniable, as York University has over 1,500 first-generation students enrolled. Our solution aims to be a tool that transforms the academic journey for these students. We achieved this by organizing an annual workshop for incoming first-year students at York University.
The First to Rise workshop addresses core issues identified through surveys and in-person conversations with first-generation students. Our research revealed that time management, financial literacy, physical activity, mental health, and imposter syndrome are key areas of concern. This information helped us curate a workshop that meets the needs of students and presents content in an interactive and holistic manner. The workshop concludes with a panel featuring upper-level first-generation students who share their experiences and provide advice to the attendees. We also created a resource guide that highlights various on- and off- campus resources for students. Click this link to explore the student resource guide.
Follow our journey, this video highlights our mission to creating First to Rise! Click this link to watch the video!
Get Involved
Want to join us in making the first-generation students experience better?
Help us improve the workshop and share your first-gen story with the survey below
Acknowledgements
Our project would not have been such a feat if it was not for the guidance and hours of help from our mentors. We’d like to acknowledge and thank our C4 mentor Robin Metcalfe and REACH Lab mentors Jennine Rawana and Nicole Dimitrova both of whom helped in every step of the project providing us with an abundance of tools and advice for not only our event but throughout every step of our journey.
