The Firsts
A community for first-generation students and students of color
The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) invites incoming first-year students who are first-generation and/or students of color to live in a close-knit and dynamic community with peers committed to academic success at the University of Minnesota.
The primary focus of The Firsts is to increase visibility around the first-generation college identity and cultivate community through the shared experiences of navigating academic life at the University of Minnesota. "The Firsts" LLC is intended for students whose parents have not obtained a college education and who are the first in their family to pursue a college degree.
This LLC is designed to promote academic success by providing holistic support and cultivating an encouraging community. The Firsts assists in family and community connections and aids in navigating the worlds of school and home while building honor and visibility among the diverse UMN first- generation community. Finally, students who live in The Firsts LLC gain an extra layer of support in navigating UMN, increased connections to staff, and a support system of first-generation resources and peers.