Our Programs

We partner with Education Abroad to offer an affordable education abroad experience for first-generation students during spring break. For more information on other education abroad experiences, visit their website.

First-generation Student Study Abroad Experience: Costa Rica (Spring Break 2025)

Applications for Costa Rica 2025 are closed.

Watch the following videos to hear about previous First-generation Education Abroad Experiences.

Italy (2024)

Costa Rica (2023)

Awards and recognition during National First-generation Student Celebration Week in November of each year.

Award Criteria

• First-generation status, good academic standing (2.0 GPA or higher)
• Enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program.
  • Consideration will be given to students enrolled part-time under special circumstances.
• Open to immigrant students not qualified to file for FAFSA.
• Commitment to pay it forward thorough community engagement such as participating in FGSC event planning, mentoring, or any other community contributions.
• Students may not be awarded this scholarship more than once.

Selection process

• Application with contact information.
• Essay, up to 750 words, answering the following prompts:
  • What does your first-generation identity mean to you and how do you wish to contribute to the first-generation community at K-State?
  • If you are a part-time student, elaborate on the circumstances related to your part-time enrollment status. Elaborate on your financial need and how you would use the scholarship funds if selected as a recipient.
  • Essay files are to be named LastName_FirstName_Essay
    • ex. Paz_Rebeca_Essay
• List one professional reference from an employer, faculty or staff with contact information.
• Committee led by the First-generation Student Center will select recipients.

Award amount or range of amount: $500 - $750

• Applications are closed for the 2024-25 School Year.
• Student recipients will be notified by Monday, October 28, 2024.
• Award can be used for Fall 2024 or Spring 2025
• Scholarships will be awarded on Thursday, November 7th, at the Proud to be First Scholarship Awards Reception

If you have more questions, email us at firstgen@ksu.edu

Joining Tri-Alpha is free for a lifetime membership. Why should you consider joining?

Benefits

• Outward recognition of personal accomplishment and an incentive for continued high scholarship.
• The opportunity to meet other first-generation scholars from all academic disciplines on your campus and to join them in promoting academic excellence and creating a supportive environment for first-generation college students.
• Identifies you to employers, professionals, and graduate schools as a person of superior academic ability and commitment.
• Opportunity to pay it forward and mentor younger first-generation students.
• Opportunity to receive mentoring from more senior first-generation students, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni who were first-generation students.
• Local chapter leadership opportunities.

Undergraduate student eligibility requirements

• First-generation college student, whose neither parent or guardian completed a four-year college degree, and
• Current degree candidate, and
• Completed a minimum of 30 credit semester hours toward a bachelor’s degree. Transfer students will have to have completed at least one semester at K-State, and
• Has a cumulative GPA of 3.2/4.0 in all coursework.

Graduate student eligibility requirements

• First-generation student, whose neither parent or guardian completed a four-year college degree.
• Completed at least one term of study (9 or more graduate credits) in a graduate program.
• Have at minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0.

If you have more questions, email us at firstgen@ksu.edu

Membership

Students who qualify will receive an invitation to join our K-State chapter of Tri-Alpha with intructions to respond by the deadline and attend the annual induction ceremony.

Faculty and staff may be inducted as well. To qualify, they must have met the first-generation student definition listed above at the time they completed their bachelor’s degree., and must be willing to serve as mentors to first-generation students.

A small number of first-generation alumni and honorary inductees will be initiated each year. When inducted, members will receive a certificate of initiation and a pin. Honor cords for graduating seniors and faculty/staff/alumin are available for purchase.

History

Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri-Alpha, was founded March 24, 2018 at Moravian College (now Moravian University) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Over 100 members of the Alpha Chapter were initiated that day, including undergraduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and honorary members. Following the successful induction, the College took steps to incorporate Alpha Alpha Alpha so that chapters could be started on other campuses across the country. Tri-Alpha exists as a not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization, for the purposes of supporting the activities of the honors society.

Kansas State University started a chapter in the Fall of 2021.

Congratulations to our 2022 Tri-Alpha inductees!

First-gen student honor society Tri-Alpha inducts more than 100 in inaugural K-State ceremony.

Tri Alpha Officers' Roles

President

The president is the presiding officer at chapter meetings of Alpha Alpha Alpha. As your chapter’s president, you will be planning, organizing, and carrying out responsibilities associated with your role as the chapter’s chief executive officer. Most members will help you succeed if the tasks and expectations are clearly defined, reasonable, and the members share appropriate interest and skill. Remember, planning and preparation count, and enthusiasm is contagious. The duties are generally as follows: 

• To open the meeting at the time scheduled by taking the chair and calling the members to order; to announce the business before those assembled in the order in which it is to be acted upon; to recognize members entitled to the floor; to state and to put to vote all questions which are regularly moved, or necessarily arise in the course of the proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote
• To prepare the vice president to preside in your absence
• To meet with the advisor(s) to set goals for the year and to plan induction ceremonies
• To appoint persons and delegate tasks for the success of your chapter, then to monitor and ensure that the tasks are successfully completed
• To assist in the recruitment of new members
• To assist in recruitment of new officers and in the training of the new officers
• To work with the chapter advisor(s) and officers on annual reports for the National Office.

Vice President

The role of vice president is an important one. Sometimes it happens that the president is prevented from carrying out the duties of his/her office for various reasons. A well organized and properly operating chapter should have a properly trained vice president who is prepared to administer the chapter in the absence of the president. The main duty of the vice president is to assist the president and other chapter officers in completing their duties. It is also the vice president’s job to effectively contribute to the chapter’s operations. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Preside over meetings in the absence of the president.
• Gather material for and help edit a chapter newsletter, on a schedule determined by the officers and advisor(s)
• Attend all chapter meetings; take attendance if the secretary is not available.
• Attend the chapter’s officers’ directors meetings.
• Become thoroughly acquainted with the president’s duties so you can assist the president
• Work with chapter secretary and treasurer to ensure member roster and dues are mailed by the appropriate dates.
• You, as vice president, are as responsible as the president in executing the president’s functions and duties properly.

Secretary

The secretary is the recording officer of the chapter and custodian of records except those which are specifically assigned to the treasurer or historian.  The secretary and historian should work closely together to ensure that all records are kept and that both are aware of what the other has maintained. These records are open, however, to inspection by any member at reasonable times, 

In addition to keeping the records of the society and the minutes of the meetings, it is the duty of the secretary to keep a register, or roll, of the members and to call the roll when required; to notify officers of their appointment.  The secretary should also keep one book in which the by-laws, rules of order, and standing rules should all be written, leaving every other page blank; and whenever an amendment is made to any of them, in addition to being recorded in the minutes it should be immediately entered on the page opposite to the article amended  Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Send out proper notices of all called meetings, and of other meetings when necessary
• Conduct the correspondence of the society, except as otherwise provided
• Make an agenda for meetings, which the president/chairperson will use as a guide
• Collate and write the annual report, working with the other officers
• Circulate approved minutes
• Keep a record of past and upcoming activities
• Assist in the preparation of the chapter’s induction ceremony program

Treasurer

The treasurer is in control of the chapter’s money, its collection, and disbursement. The treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate books that will enable him/her to give a full financial report whenever requested. The treasurer should do his/her best to see that everything is done meticulously so that there are no doubts about his/her integrity. It should be noted that the treasurer’s records always should be open to inspection by the chapter’s officers or advisor(s).  Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Collect member dues. 
• In coordination with the secretary, forward dues, the invoice, and your chapter’s Membership Roster to the National Office. 
• Prepare the chapter’s budget, present it to the board for approval, and ensure that chapter activities adhere to the budget. 
• Maintain accurate financial records throughout the year to be reviewed at any time by members, other officers, or administration. 
• Transact business through a bank or institutional account. 
• Inform the chapter of its financial strengths and weaknesses. 
• Reconcile bank statements. 
• Bill members for unpaid dues. 
• Deposit chapter funds. 
• Understand school and chapter policies regarding student financial accounts relating to school organizations. 

Historian

The historian is the steward of the chapter’s history.  The historian provides support for the secretary in keeping records of the chapter. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Compiling a year-end scrapbook, to include chapter advertisements, newsletters, newspaper articles, event programs, ticket stubs, copies of the induction ceremony program, and photos. The scrapbook can be a simple collection of material or a professional-level bound book with high-quality scans.
• Take pictures at events, except for the induction ceremony, where the historian will be participating. In this case, the historian works with the advisor(s) to secure a photographer for the event. It all depends on the historian’s imagination, technological knowledge and budget.
• The historian creates and maintains the chapter’s record book, into which the historian writes all pertinent information in the book, such as the year's officers, programs, and award winners. All information should be double-checked for accuracy. If ever the record book is lost or misplaced, the historian starts a new one.

The First-generation Student Center Celebrates our first-generation graduates and their families each May. We recognize the significance of this milestone for our students, their families and support systems. Students will be given a green cord to wear to graduation as a symbol of their first-generation student identity and resilience. We are proud of our first-gen cats!

First-generation Student Celebration Week

Join us for a week celebrating our first-generation students!

Monday, November 4

• Lunch with the Deans of Arts & Sciences
  • 12 PM - 1 PM
  • Calvin 301
  • First-gen ArtSci Students RSVP Here
• Education Abroad Student Panel
  • 4 PM - 5 PM
  • K-State Student Union Courtyar

Tuesday, November 5

• U.S.A. Election Day
  • No planned events
  • Follow this link to find your polling location

Wednesday, November 6

• K-State Salina First-gen Luncheon
  • 11:30 AM - 1 PM
  • Salina College Center Conference Room
• Online Teaching and Learning Workshop
  • 12 PM - 1 PM
  • Taught by Rebeca Paz and Eric Thompson
  • Follow this link for access to the Zoom Meeting
• Tri-Alpha Induction
  • 4 PM - 5 PM
  • Forum Hall (located in the lower level of the Student Union)

Thursday, November 7

• First-generation Student Celebration
  • 10 AM - 1 PM
  • K-State Student Union Courtyard
  • Nacho Bar: 11 AM - 1 PM
  • Scholarship Ceremony: 12 PM - 1 PM
• Bonfire at Britt's Farm
  • 6 PM - 9 PM
  • 1000 S Scenic Dr.

All Week

• Download First-gen Zoom Backgrounds from our website
• See First-gen Video Portraits around campus
• Proud to be First Coffee at Cornerstone locations in Wefald and Jardine

Ice Cream Social

Come enjoy ice cream and connect with other first-generation students. This is a "come when you can" event!

September 4th | 11:30 am - 1:30 pm | Holtz Hall West Lawn

Workshop: A Winning Scholarship

Join us in learning how to write competitive scholarship essays. This workshop is led by TRIO Writing Specialist, Dylan Holt.

September 17th | 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm | MSC 120; Oneok Meeting Room

Pumpkin Painting

The First-generation Student Center, the Academic Achievement Center, and Tri-Alpha are excited to bring back pumpkin painting this year!

Octover 28th | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Student Union Courtyard

November 5-11 - National First-generation Student Celebration Week

Each November, colleges across the nation celebrate first-generation students through the National First-Generation Student Celebration. K-State hosts a week-long celebration with a wide range of activities/events that recognize our first-generation community.

Look for various activities throughout the week that celebrate first-generation students! In 2018, the First-generation Student Organization created a "Big Green 1" that traveled around campus for first-gen students, staff, and faculty to sign. Click the image to the right to see more photos from the event.

May - First-Generation Student Graduation Reception

First-generation graduates and their supporters are invited to our annual First-generation Student Graduation Reception to honor the efforts of the students. Students are given green cords to signify resiliency in their first-gen status at their graduation ceremonies. Click the image to the right to see more photos from the event.

During COVID 19, the Office of First-generation students, in partnership with offices across campus, held the graduation ceremonies online.

First-Gen Friyays!

Join us on the first Friday of each month, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm, for snacks and fun with other first-gen students.

Friyay! events will also be available virtually! Please email us at
first-gen@ksu.edu for online access.

Check this page regularly for updated information on location of our First-gen Friyays!

Ice Cream Social

Study Abroad: Italy

Pumpkin Painting

The First-generation Student Center will be working with Scholar Services to host a Pumpkin Painting Party. The event will be held in the Union Courtyard on Monday, October 16th at 5:00 p.m.

First-generation Student Celebration Week

Come join us for a week-long celebration of our first-generation students, November 6 - 10. Check out our calendar of events below!

Special thanks to our campus partners for their collaboration and support:

Career Center, ​Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, Center for Risk Management​, College of Agriculture​, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Health and Human Sciences, Department of Agricultural Economics, Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences​, Housing and Dining, K State Alumni Association​, K-State Global Campus, Office of Recruitment and Admissions​, KSU Foundation​, Recreational Services, Scholar Services, TRIO Educational Supportive Services​ and Union Program Council​.

Tri-Alpha Induction Ceremony

Kansas State University First-generation Student Graduation Celebration Spring 2022