UNL students celebrate National First-Generation College Day

About one-third of the nation’s undergraduate students are the first of their family to attend college.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – November 8 is National First-Generation College Day.  The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has seen an increase in the number of first-generation students on campus. In fact, the number of students increased by 3.2 percent in 2020, and the freshman class grew by 126 students or 12.4 percent.

“My mom was very proud,” first-generation junior Abigail Javier Paxtle said. “She was the most excited out of everyone. Out of everyone her daughter was the first one to go to college, a university too.”

The university has over 5,000 first-generation students enrolled on campus.

“I always had faith in myself, that I was going to get accepted, senior Marilyn Adame-Ortiz said. “I always did well in school, but when I saw it actually happening and I actually got accepted, it felt really nice.”

Both Javier Paxtle and Adame-Ortiz have thrived at UNL and have been active members in their sororities, but the journey hasn’t been easy. Adame-Ortiz said during her freshman and sophomore year, she struggled to find a support system. She would go into classes and see no one who looked like her.

“Lots of first-generation students are students of color, low-income. “It can be very intimidating when you see all these other students around you that don’t look like you or even have the same experiences.”

According to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute (PNPI), 48 percent of Hispanic college students and 42 percent of African-Americans are first-generation.

Despite the numbers, Javier Paxtle and Adame-Ortiz are proving that they matter. Javier Paxtle said first-generation students belong on campus, and they got accepted for a reason. Adame-Ortiz will be crossing off another accomplishment—turning her tassel in May.

“I think I’m going to cry. Just to think about it, it’s so close. It makes me a little emotional.”