Spring 2026 First-Generation Scholarship Contest Winners Share Their Stories Through Art
What does it mean to be a first-generation college student?
For three Inver Hills Community College students, the answer came in the form of a hand-painted denim jacket, an original poem paired with a pastel illustration, and a mixed-media painting exploring resilience and self-discovery.
This spring, Inver Hills invited first-generation students to explore that question through a creative, no-essay scholarship contest. Rather than submitting a traditional written response, students were encouraged to express their experiences through art, poetry, music, storytelling, performance, and other creative mediums.
The contest celebrated the many unique journeys of first-generation college students while providing an opportunity for participants to reflect on the challenges, hopes, and motivations that have shaped their educational paths.
Funded by the Inver Hills Foundation, three scholarships were awarded:
- First Place ($2,500): Kelvin Velez-Class
- Second Place ($1,500): Trinity Snow
- Third Place ($1,000): Cienna Arnold
Scholarship funding was provided by the Inver Hills Community College Foundation. The winners were recognized during the Department of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice’s annual Be Loud, Be You celebration on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in the Black Box Theater.
First Place: Kelvin Velez-Class
First-place recipient Kelvin Velez-Class earned the top award for a hand-painted denim jacket that reflected the intersection of culture, faith, family, and education.
“Winning first place for this scholarship means that it would allow me to keep pushing forward my dreams and my family’s hard work over generations. Also, it helps me a lot by bringing financial stability in my short and long term. Lastly, winning this allows me to visit my family in Puerto Rico, which I see only once a year,” stated Kelvin.
In describing the piece, Velez-Class shared that being a first-generation college student means serving as a bridge between his family’s history and future. The jacket featured imagery connected to his Puerto Rican heritage, including the hibiscus flower, coquí frog, Puerto Rican flag, and symbols representing community and resilience.
The artwork also highlighted the role of faith in his journey through higher education.
“As the first of my family’s generation to walk this path, I carry my culture and my faith with me in every step,” Velez-Class wrote.
Through a creative medium that could be worn, displayed, and shared, Velez-Class transformed personal identity and family legacy into a powerful artistic statement.
Second Place: Trinity Snow
Second-place winner Trinity Snow paired an original poem with a pastel illustration that explored the complexities of pursuing higher education as a first-generation student.
Snow’s work reflected on growing up in an environment where college was not viewed as a meaningful investment and where expectations surrounding higher education often felt uncertain.
Using the image of a parasitic bird placing its eggs in another bird’s nest, Snow examined feelings of venturing into unfamiliar territory and pursuing opportunities that previous generations may not have experienced.
The piece explored both the fear and possibility that can accompany being the first person in a family to pursue a college degree.
“Without an example within the family, that higher education can feel like a fantasy, or a mirage,” Snow wrote. “With being the first one to venture forth … it’s terrifying to take the risk.”
Third Place: Cienna Arnold
Third-place recipient Cienna Arnold created a mixed-media painting and drawing that reflected on perseverance, growth, and choosing one’s own path forward.
Inspired by personal experiences and family influences, Arnold’s artwork explored questions about life’s journey, expectations, and the courage required to keep moving forward despite uncertainty.
Through vibrant imagery and reflective storytelling, the piece highlighted an important theme shared by many first-generation students: the belief that new opportunities become possible when individuals choose to pursue goals that may feel unfamiliar or difficult.
“Life is a choice,” Arnold wrote. “Even when I struggled, I chose moving forward.”
Her work served as both a personal reflection and a message of encouragement for others navigating their own educational journeys.
Celebrating First-Generation Voices
While each submission was unique, the winning entries shared a common theme: the courage to pursue new opportunities while honoring the experiences, cultures, families, and communities that helped shape them.
Together, the artists demonstrated that there is no single first-generation story. For some students, being first-generation means carrying family traditions forward. For others, it means navigating uncertainty, challenging expectations, or creating new possibilities for future generations.
The First-Generation Scholarship Contest provided students with a platform to share those stories in their own voices and through their own creative expression.
Through the support of the Inver Hills Foundation and the creativity of participating students, the contest celebrated not only academic achievement, but also the resilience, identity, and personal journeys that make the Inver Hills community stronger.
