A place to be inspired and inspire others
The First Gen Summit serves as a site for a meeting of the minds. First-gen students and their allies come together to identify problems, discuss grassroots solutions, and share what’s working on their campuses. We work with students to identify problems and work with their staff, administrator, and faculty allies to discover solutions and create change. Class Action offers spaces where students can both identify these challenges and build grassroots solutions for them.
Become a Sponsor
Sponsoring schools receive extra student spots, free faculty and staff registrations, and promotional opportunities.
Join our Mailing List
Joining our mailing list to stay up to date on Summit Plans as they develop.
Our Summit Story
The First Gen Summit was founded by Adj Marshall in the fall of 2012 as a place for first-generation college students to come together to define and design new ways of viewing the first-gen label in contrast to the generally applied deficit lens. The very first summit was held in the spring of 2013 with just 40 attendees. Today, the First Gen Summit brings together between 200-300 students and allies each year.
Since 2004, Class Action has worked with first-generation students to ease their transition to college. Through consultations and workshops at many campuses throughout the country, Class Action has offered first-gen students access to the materials, tools, and networking opportunities necessary to thrive in a college environment. Class Action also works with campus administrations to identify obstacles to first-gen and low-income students.
2022 Summit content
For the full schedule, including keynote the registration page here.
Check out this year’s sponsors!
Meet the 2022 Student Planning Committee
Sofia Elhusseini
New York University ’24
Fundraising Lead
Adeola Akinyemi
Boston University ’23
Graduate Track Lead
Liliana Peréz Díaz
Brandeis University ’23
Technology Co-lead
Rosine Mpozenzi
Colby College ’23
Technology Co-lead
Laila Rouhi
Wellesley College ’25
Project & Documents Co-Lead
Srishti Nautiyal
Brandeis University ’23
Project & Documents Co-Lead
Jocelyn Rodriguez
Wellesley College ’24
Design & Marketing Co-Lead
Nayeli Conill
Monmouth University ’24
Design & Marketing Co-Lead
Emmanuel Quiroz Martinez
Salem State University ’23
Workshop Content Co-Lead
Shayla Zamora
Wellesley College ’23
Workshop Content Co-Lead
Meet the 2022 Lead Advisory Council
Natalie Aleman
New York University, NY
Associate Director of Academic Services, Opportunity Programs
M Damm
Boston University, MA
Assistant Director of the Newbury Center
Claude Taylor
Monmouth University, NJ
Director for Academic Transition and Inclusion
Megan Wigton
Salem State University, MA
Coordinator, Student Transition & Engagement Program (STEP)
Jessica Twiest
Radford University, VA
Radford University Assistant Director of the Center for Opportunity & Social Mobility
Perla Rivas
California State University San Marcos CA
Counselor, First-Year Program TRIO Student Support Services
Jessica Angeles
Boston MA
The Valedictorian Project
Adj Marshall,
Boston MA
First Gen Summit Founder