The First to Go & Graduate Program (F2G&G)

The purpose of the F2G&G program is to promote the improvement of academic success, persistence, and successful graduation of students participating in the program. F2G&G seeks to develop and support a UTSA institution-wide culture that actively recognizes, encourages, and supports first-generation college students. The programs developed within F2G&G hope to positively impact first-generation student retention and graduation rates.

How do we define first-generation?

A First-Generation student is anyone whose parent(s) or guardian(s) did not complete a four-year bachelor’s degree from a US university or college.

Note: Not sure if you are first-generation? Contact First-Generation & Transfer Student Programs at fgtsp@utsa.edu or 210-458-4694.

F2G&G features a first-generation mentorship program that incorporates peer mentorship. Through regular meetings with peer mentors, students build on the assets they bring with them to UTSA as a first-generation college student and learn new skills in the process. The mentee, peer mentor, and First-Generation & Transfer Student Programs (FGTSP) staff form a community of support, with the mentee at its core, called a familia.

The familia offers support to navigate college life from a variety of different angles. Mentees have the unique opportunity to connect and build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with their peer mentor  and fellow mentees that participate in the program. These connections are pivotal for students and aid them in building an extended network on campus.

The peer mentors are sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate-level students and are appointed to serve on a semester by semester basis. They are assigned a caseload of first-generation students and meet with them in one-on-one meetings or in groups to build a connection, share updates and announcements, and attend university programming together.