Lunchtime Round-Table Discussions

Thank you for all the great suggestions for our lunch-time round-table topics. The way it will work, you will grab your lunches then go to the assigned spaces based on which topic you want to discuss.

Please take a look at the topics below and suggested questions ahead of time to get an idea of which group you’d like to join. Each group is also welcome to generate their own discussion!

Mental Health Round-Table

Room:  Aidekman 013

1. How does First-Gen, low-income, and/or POC identity affect mental health?
2. What are some things institutions could do to address mental health?
3. What self-care practices keep you afloat?

Graduate School Round-Table

Room:  Jackson 006

1. To go or not to go?
2. How is financial aid different for post-graduate?
3. What supports exist (or should exist) for 1st gen grad students?
4. Are there ways to find mentors for going to grad school?

LGBTQ Affinity Round-Table

Room:  Alumnae Lounge

1. How does your LGBTQ identity intersect with being First Gen?
2. Does your school offer any joint supports?
3. Do you feel more strongly aligned with one identity over the other?

Black Affinity Round-Table

Room:  Aidekman 009

1. What does it mean to hold our institutions accountable?
2. How does being Black intersect with being first gen?
3. What is unique about the our experience in higher ed?

Latinx Affinity Round-Table

Room:  Aidekman 012

1. What is unique about the our experience in higher ed today?
2. What are some of our most pressing concerns?
3. Where do we fit in in the fight for racial equity?

Asian/Pacific Islander Affinity Round-Table

Room:  Remis Sculpture Court

1. What is unique about our experience in higher today?
2. How does our API identity intersect with being first gen?
3. Where do we fit in in the fight for racial equity?

Adulting and Financial Literacy Round-Table

Room:  Aidekman 12

1. Let’s talk about financial literacy
2. What resources out there have you found helpful?
3. What can and/or are different schools doing to improve financial literacy?
4. How is financial literacy different or more significant for us first gens?

Transfer Students Round-Table

Room:  Jackson 006

1. How can we break down barriers and creating networks when classmates have a 2 year head start?
2. What are the things that make for a good school to transfer into?
3. What are the benefits of being a transfer student?
4. What are your fears?
5. What are some of the stigmas? How do we combat them?

Talking Class on Campus Round-Table

Room:  Mayer Campus Center 112

1. How does class play out on your campus?
2. What would it take to get past an us vs. them attitude?
3. What misconceptions do we need to move past?
4. What supports do we need from our class-privileged classmates?
5. What supports do we need from our institutions?

First Gen and Job Hunting Round-Table

Room:  Alumnae Lounge

1. Are you discouraged from seeking employment in bigger companies or going after your dream job?
2. How do other intersections play out? ( marginalized communities, low income, lack of connections, feeling like an impostor etc.)
3. What tools exist?
4. What gaps in knowledge/networks do first gen students have?
5. What could be done to help more first gen students find employment?

White & Low Income Affinity Round-Table

Room:  Mayer Campus Center 209

1. How does being working-class/ low-income and white affect your college experience?
2. Class is often invisible, whereas race is most often not. What does this mean to you?
3. What role can working-class/low-income white people play to be allies in racial justice?

Finding Mentors Round-Table

Room:  Remis Sculpture Court

1. What kind of mentors to seek out?
2. How and where?
3. Share positive mentoring experiences.

Money Matters Round-Table

Room:  Remis Sculpture Court

1. How do you handle housing choices, going out choices, networking, conferences, travel in the typical culture of upper/middle class campuses?
2. Do you discuss money openly with your friends? Why or why not?

First Gen Faculty & Staff Round-Table

Room:  Alumnae Lounge

1. What was your journey to becoming faculty/staff?
2. What are things that helped or hindered you along the way?
3. If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before you worked on a college campus, what would it be?

Fostering First Gen Pride Round-Table 

Room:  Alumnae Lounge

1. So yeah, we’re bad ass for being first gen. What makes us so awesome?
2. What ways have we shared that with other students and/or family members? What are other ways we could?
3. What are the things that stands in the way of feeling proud?