The Future is First-Gen
cssb@uwosh.edu
(920) 424-1873
First Scholars is an important and significant opportunity for UWO to advance our work to improve student outcomes and advance our work to support first-generation students.
Titan Tough aims to boost student retention and increase graduation rates through targeted support and resources.
The First Scholars program supports first-generation college students and enhances their ability to graduate successfully. The program is open to all undergraduate students whose parents did not attend college.
The mission of The Suder Foundation, First-Gen Forward, and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) is to increase the graduation rate of first-generation college students dramatically and to prepare each scholar for a life of self-awareness, success, and significance. To learn more about the national first-generation program, visit First-Gen Forward.
NEW: Titan Tough
Titan Tough is a brand-new initiative launched in fall 2025 that focuses on first-generation, low-income, rural, and farming-family students who need specialized support to address workforce needs and rural talent development.
- Workforce Needs in Wisconsin: The focus is on addressing Wisconsin’s specific workforce demands to support economic growth.
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Rural and Agricultural Talent: Emphasizing the development and inclusion of talent from rural and agricultural communities.
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Targeted Outreach: Focused efforts reach rural high schools, county extension, FFA/4-H, and community groups to enhance engagement.
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Evaluation Methods: Matched cohort comparisons assess retention, GPA, credit accumulation, and sense of belonging among participants.
For more information, please get in touch with Jason Herman at hermaj04@uwosh.edu or (920) 424-1764, or in person at Reeve Memorial Union, 104F.
Helpful Links
News
%
of UWO students are the first in their family to go to college. First Scholars provides support and guidance for these students to be successful in higher education.
higher education institutions including UWO advanced to the First Scholars phase of the First Scholars Network, which supports first generation efforts at higher education institutions with establishing communities of practice, gaining knowledge of resources and building peer networks.
inaugural UWO students were inducted into a chapter of Tri-Alpha, a national honor society for first-generation students, in 2022.
Explore Other UW-Oshkosh Programs for First-Generation Students
McNair Scholars Program
Our UWO McNair Scholars Program seeks to empower high-achieving, first-generation, low-income, and racially minoritized undergraduates to realize their potential by providing opportunities to develop skills and gain the experiences that will prepare them for graduate study.
Tri-Alpha Honors Society
The Tri-Alpha chapter promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for growth, leadership development, and community service for first-generation college students. All first-generation college students, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni of NAU are eligible to join the Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) First-Gen Honors Society.
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) and SSS STEM
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) and TRIO Student Support Services STEM (SSS STEM) is a federally funded program designed to provide academic tutoring, advising/counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other support services necessary for educational success.
Support UW Oshkosh first-generation students’ academic growth
and personal development by donating.
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