Dickinson Joins National FirstGen Forward Network
First-generation college students take center stage as part of new collegewide initiative
by Tony Moore
It started as a handful of students found one another and formed a club, and now it’s grown into something much larger: Dickinson has been accepted into FirstGen Forward, the national network dedicated to advancing the success of first-generation college students.
The movement—driven by students, faculty and staff alike—ensures that no Dickinsonian navigates college alone simply because they're the first in their family to do so. They will now be joined by alumni and families in a communitywide effort to continue to help Dickinsonians expand their story.
Trendsetters
The group of students leading the movement is Trendsetters, the college's community for first-generation students, and its members have watched the transformation firsthand.
"Seeing the network of students grow from a simple club to a community has directly reflected the growth with which the college has taken action to support these trailblazers," says Alexander Fedorczak '26 (biochemistry & molecular biology), a past president of the group, noting that it's been rewarding to see the network expand alongside the college's own commitment.
Current Trendsetters member Luca Lorance '27 (neuroscience) said the organization has given students something that matters just as much as academic support: belonging.
"As a first-generation student at Dickinson, being a part of Trendsetters has truly given me a community of students and mentors who continue to support each other," he says. "I’m really excited for this new initiative, which will not only expand the support for first-generation students but also allow for more opportunities for first-gen students to thrive here at Dickinson—and beyond."
Recognizing & Strengthening
Ellen Min '04, associate director for student access and achievement and Trendsetters' advisor, said the FirstGen Forward designation validates work already underway on campus.
"One of Dickinson's greatest strengths is the sense of community our first-generation students have built through Trendsetters," she says, adding that she sees students empowering one another, sharing their experiences and creating meaningful connections that foster confidence and belonging every day. “That strong foundation makes our membership in the FirstGen Forward Network especially meaningful. It recognizes the work already being led by our students and gives us an opportunity to further strengthen the support, visibility and success of first-generation students across campus."
For Tara Vasold Fischer '02, associate provost for student success and academic advising, the moment is personal as well as institutional. As a first-generation college student herself, she sees the initiative as continuing unfinished work.
"At first it was a student organization with some good momentum, and now it’s become a movement," Fischer says. “Dickinson's commitment to decoding the college experience for students is something that makes this institution so extraordinary, and joining the FirstGen Forward initiative makes explicit our dedication to supporting our students holistically. We are building what I wish I'd had when, long ago, I stepped onto this campus as the first in my family to attend college.”
The Network
Dickinson enters the network as a Network member, the first of three phases in the FirstGen Forward journey, joining more than 470 institutions across 47 states and the District of Columbia working to scale support for first-generation students nationwide. Membership connects the college to a broader community of peer institutions, professional development resources and evidence-based practices—tools that will help Dickinson build on the foundation Trendsetters has already laid.
The future, as FirstGen Forward puts it, is first-gen. At Dickinson, that future has been taking shape one student at a time—and now has an institution, and a nation of peer institutions, standing behind it.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published August 5, 2026