Duke F1RSTS has grown from a few dedicated PhD students in Classical Studies into a campus-wide effort to create community for first-gen graduate and professional students in just a few years. The group began with funding from The Graduate School’s Professional Development Grant in 2018 and has become a pillar of support for a diverse grad & prof student population since that time. In partnership with UNC and Boston University, they just hosted the 6th annual first-gen grad student symposium (https://www.bu.edu/newbury-center/2022/12/12/the-6th-annual-first-generation-graduate-student-symposium/).
The Student Focus feature is a part of the Graduate Professional Student Appreciation Week to highlight and thank the wonderful students and student groups that make our campus vibrant! Submissions were made by Duke staff members.