After announcing a scholarship for first-generation students last year, the Office of Student Engagement and Success congratulated the first recipient at the fourth annual first-generation celebration. 

Hosted by the Office of Student Engagement and Success, the celebration takes time to highlight first-generation students while also offering them words of encouragement from first-generation alumni. 

Travis and Kelly Taylor, both first-generation 2011 graduates of Murray State, announced the first scholarship honoring first-generation students at last year’s celebration. The scholarship was awarded to Nadia Stone, a junior social work major. 

Stone said it felt as though her efforts in class were being recognized. 

“It just reminded me that all my hard work is going toward something, and it felt good to see that is paying off,” Stone said. “Being a first-generation student also doesn’t come easy, and I’m thankful for my family and friends that remind me to keep pushing.”

After she was notified that she would  be receiving the scholarship, she wrote a letter that was read to the event by Peggy Whaley, director of Student Engagement and Success. 

Stone wrote about the scholarship not only affecting her but her mother as well. 

“Receiving this scholarship has positively affected both me and my mother, who is a single mother,” Stone wrote. “I am my mother’s only child, and she has always supported me in everything I do, even when we struggled financially. Being raised by a single mother was not easy, but my mother never turned down my dream.”

Following the reception of her award, the event featured guest speaker and two-time Murray State alumnus Aaron Harris. Also a first-generation student, Harris graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electronic media in 2012 and a master’s degree in human development and leadership in 2014. 

Now, Harris is the executive director of Keeping my Promise Inc., a nonprofit that focuses on providing resources, such as online learning tools, mentorship programs, resources for finding scholarships and career counseling to support high school and college students, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Harris talked about the obstacles he had to overcome, such as getting in trouble with the law and struggling to find the strength to finish his bachelor’s degree after his brother died. During that time, Harris found himself relying on those around him. 

Harris concluded with the importance of perseverance and giving back to one’s community.

“Start believing in what you want to achieve, but know it’s not going to be easy,” Harris said. “Nothing that is worth it comes easy. What you do when no one is looking matters. Even if no one is looking, give back.”

 Assistant Director of the Office of Student Engagement and Success Jennifer Smith said she was scrolling through LinkedIn when she saw Harris and thought to have him back for the celebration. 

“I read about what he’s doing with that nonprofit,” Smith said. “He started Keeping the Promise, and [it] just clicked: we should ask him to come back home and speak to first-generation students.”

Overall, Smith said the office finds it important to highlight first-generation students because of the number they make up at the University and the additional obstacles they may face.

“Of Murray State’s student body, 44% are considered first-generation students,” Smith said. “It’s important that we support first-generation students, being the first in your family to attend college. We help, so we support them to make their transition to college as easy as possible and support them while they’re here.”

In terms of support, because the student is the first in their family to attend college, families may not be well informed about everything their student will have to do in regards to making payments and scheduling classes. The office is working to give students supplementing knowledge to help them succeed. 

Smith spoke about her own experience as an undergraduate student and how that informed her as a current University worker. 

“I wasn’t the best student,” Smith said. “I graduated with a 2.48 GPA and decided to come back to school to be successful. I was a single mom with two kids in daycare and working a full-time job. It’s just — we all have a story. All of us, and some stories are more difficult to hear than others. But we all have a story, and it’s part of who we are. And it’s part of how we get to where we’re going.” 

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