First-Generation Student Celebration Fall 2022

Hosted by TRIO SSS, Student Life, and Center for Diversity and Equity

TRIO Student Support Services, Student Life, and the Center for Diversity and Equity at Inver Hills Community College teamed up to host a First-Generation Student Celebration Tuesday, November 15, 2022, in the College Center on the college’s campus in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

The event featured two Inver Hills alumni as guest speakers, Dereje Lajebo and Daniel Agbator. After graduating from Inver Hills with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Dereje transferred to the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where he majored in Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurial Management. Daniel also earned his A.A. at Inver; he transferred to Winona State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems.

After relating their experiences at Inver and their four-years schools, Daniel and Dereje took part in a Q & A session. Food was then served from Tawakal, a Burnsville restaurant started by former Inver Hills students. Attendees got the chance to connect with first-generation students, staff, and faculty. The event concluded with a game of Jeopardy.

Matt Kruger serves as TRIO Student Support Services director at Inver Hills. Matt appreciates the significant contributions first-generation students make on any college or university campus.

“First-generation students are trailblazers in higher education, leading the way for their families and communities,” he said. “When they succeed in college, they gain knowledge and skills that they can pass along to their siblings, eventually their children, and, in some cases, even to their parents or other older relatives, who are then more likely to enroll and complete a college degree themselves.”

The First-Generation Student Celebration at Inver Hills was held in conjunction with First-Generation College Celebration Day, which took place Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

First-Generation Scholarship Contest Voting

Five finalists have been selected for a $1,000 First-Generation Scholarship. The no-essay scholarship was designed for students to use their creativity to answer the following question:

What does being a First-Generation College Student mean to you?

As a member of the Inver Hills campus community, you have the opportunity vote to determine who receives the $1,000 scholarship.

Learn more about the finalist submissions and how to vote by checking out the Inver Hills News story.

Please vote for your favorite submission:

First-Generation Scholarship Contest: VOTING

Note: Voting ends at midnight, Wednesday, November 30, 2022.