About You First

I am 1st Gen

student on campus

The You First Project: Graduation Initiatives for First-Generation Students at TSU aligns with TSU’s aspiration for excellence. The project acknowledges the intersectional experiences of first-generation students in order to improve their retention, persistence, graduation rates, and career aspirations of first-generation students. Approximatively forty percent (40%) of all TSU’s first-time freshmen are first-generation students. These students’ academic success is critical for TSU, their families, and to the larger society. The You First Project builds on proven and research-based programmatic initiatives and a dedicated staff, evidence-based practices, a network of University partners, and professional development to assist this large population at TSU.

The You First Project includes:
1. The Journey to 120 Hours: Preparing Students for Success in Health Sciences and STEM  to increase the number of TSU students entering and graduating from Health Sciences and STEM degree programs.
Population served: STEM and Health Sciences Majors, First and Second Year first-generation students.

2. Facilitating Access to the Other Careers in which Blacks are Under-represented  to prepare students for timely completion of degrees in careers where blacks are underrepresented, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Population served:  Liberal Arts Majors, first-generation freshmen and sophomores.

3. Completion and Beyond  to increase the number of first-generation juniors and seniors equipped to graduate timely and ready for a major-related career.
Population served:  ALL first-generation juniors and seniors.

4. Enhancing the Library’s Holdings to Support Academic Programs leading to the Other Careers in which Blacks are Under-represented  to enhance students and faculty’s access to relevant and innovative instructional materials to increase knowledge and academic success.
Population served:  ALL first-generation students and all other in search of knowledge.