2026 First-generation Graduate and Professional Student Symposium
Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 02/20/2026 at 12:30 PM (EST)
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The First-generation Graduate and Professional Student Symposium is a symposium by first-generation graduate and professional students for first-generation graduate and professional students.
Join the Boston University Newbury Center, Duke University First-Generation Graduate Student Network, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS, along with our Cooperating Sponsor, FirstGen Forward, for our 9th annual symposium for graduate and professional students on February 20, 2026 via Zoom. Please register by February 16, 2025, at 11:59pm ET.
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Welcome Remarks
02/20/2026 at 12:30 PM (EST) | 10 minutes
02/20/2026 at 12:30 PM (EST) | 10 minutes
Please join us for our opening remarks of the 2026 First-generation Graduate and Professional Student Symposium.
Note: When joining via the Zoom link, you will be prompted to complete a short registration.
Networking
02/20/2026 at 12:40 PM (EST) | 40 minutes
02/20/2026 at 12:40 PM (EST) | 40 minutes
You will have the opportunity to network with other first-generation graduate/professional students at institutions across the country before the start of the concurrent sessions.
Featured Panel - Lessons Learned: Navigating the First-gen Grad Student Journey
02/20/2026 at 1:30 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 1:30 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Join Dr. Anthony Abraham Jack for a powerful conversation with three current first-gen graduate and professional students—Basil Adamah, Kayla Fernando, and Rebecca Rice. Through their personal stories, they’ll share insights about the challenges they faced and the lessons they learned as they progressed toward successful completion of their master’s and doctoral degrees. Whether you’re seeking guidance, motivation, or simply a reminder that you’re not alone in your journey, this panel offers a space to learn from those who have been there. The keynote will conclude with a Q&A to give you an opportunity to engage with all the panelists.
Note: When joining via the Zoom link, you will be prompted to complete a short registration.
Concurrent Session Block 1: Funding Your Graduate Education
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
This session will help students better understand funding resources for graduate school and how to explore and apply for funding opportunities.
Presenters: Julie Montaigne
Concurrent Session Block 1: Excellence> Perfection: Perfectionism and Self Compassion
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Perfectionism can create unnecessary pressure and diminish the joy we find in our work. This workshop will help you become more aware of how perfectionist thinking may be impacting you. You will be able to differentiate perfectionism from a healthy pursuit of excellence and learn to use the skill of self-compassion to temper the negative influence of perfectionist thinking so you can thrive.
Presenter: Beverly Chen
Concurrent Session Block 1: Rejection is Redirection: Thriving Through Setbacks as a First-Gen Student/Professional
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: First-generation graduate students often face unique academic, professional, and personal challenges. This session explores how to reframe rejection as an opportunity for growth, build resilience, and identify new paths forward. Attendees will learn practical strategies for navigating setbacks, leveraging support networks, and fostering wellness while advancing their academic and career goals. Join us to transform obstacles into stepping stones toward success.
Presenter: Leticia Garcia Arango and Maria Alcantara Ornelas
Concurrent Session Block 1: How to Use (and Not Use) GenAI in Your Job Search
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 2:40 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: Generative AI is reshaping the job search for graduate and professional students. This session combines background information with hands-on practice. Bring your resume and cover letter to test out prompts and tips in session. Leave with resources for using AI intentionally and confidence to know how to use (and not to use) GenAI for your job and internship applications.
Presenter: Ilana Palmer and Catherine Allen
Concurrent Session Block 2: How to Negotiate When Negotiating Makes You Nervous
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: You negotiate every day, with employers, teachers, family members, friends, and others. Some negotiations are formal, involving jobs, purchases, or business deals, while others are informal, over schedules, assignments, responsibilities, and even where to eat or have fun. Negotiating makes a lot of people nervous – you might be unconfident in your skills, concerned about relationships, or just unfamiliar with the process. This is especially true when the results make a difference to you or where the relationships are important. This session presents skills, strategies, and tactics to help you negotiate more effectively and advocate for your needs even in stressful situations.
Presenters: Moshe Cohen
Concurrent Session Block 2: A Conversation about First-Generation Student Mental Health
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: In this roundtable discussion, we will be exploring mental health and the specific needs and experiences of first-generation undergraduate and graduate students. The facilitated conversation will surround defining the first-gen experience, support systems and resources, community and belonging, and resilience. The goal of this roundtable discussion is to promote awareness of mental health and foster connection.
Presenter: Alyssa Ciniglio
Concurrent Session Block 2: Making Graduate School Make Sense: Purpose, Mentorship, and Professional Direction
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: First-generation graduate students are often expected to navigate professional development and mentorship without clear tools or roadmaps. This workshop responds to that gap by providing participants with concrete, take-home resources designed to support purposeful decision-making in graduate school. Grounded in the first-generation experience, the session guides students through structured reflection worksheets to clarify values and career priorities, mentoring network maps to identify and engage key supporters, and skill-mapping tools that translate academic experiences into career-ready language. Rather than focusing on abstract professional development concepts, this workshop equips participants with practical templates, guiding prompts, and planning resources they can immediately apply to build mentoring relationships, articulate strengths, and make intentional academic and professional choices with confidence.
Presenter: Orley Estrada
Concurrent Session Block 2: From Paychecks to Portfolios: Financial Wellness as a Catalyst for First-Gen Graduate Student Stability & Success
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
02/20/2026 at 3:50 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Session Description: First-generation graduate and professional students often navigate academia, family responsibility, and financial pressure simultaneously—without the safety nets or guidance their peers may have. This program, From Paychecks to Portfolios, reframes financial wellness as a core component of academic persistence, mental health, and long-term career success. Rooted in the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, this session provides a practical framework to help first- gen students manage limited income, optimize university or employer benefits, build emergency savings, understand student loan repayment options, and begin investing—even while in school. More than financial theory, this workshop addresses identity navigation: how to be a student, a professional, and often a family provider at the same time. Participants walk away with a 90-Day Financial Stability Plan, a Benefits Optimization Checklist, and tools to reduce financial stress while building long-term security. This session offers research- backed insights, lived experience, and immediately applicable strategies to help first-gen students not just survive graduate education—but use it as a launchpad to build wealth and legacy.
Presenters: Jackie Whitehead