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The Higher Education Act of 1965 (“HEA”) emerged out of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. Much like other hallmark legislation of that era, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, HEA was intended to help level a playing field that for too long had been weighed against Americans from minority and low-income backgrounds.
In addition to creating federal grants and loan programs to help students finance their educations, the legislation made key investments in institutions of higher education. Additionally, HEA ushered in a set of programs (such as Upward Bound, Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program and Student Support Services) designed to provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance and other supports necessary for postsecondary access, retention, and completion for low-income, potential first-generation college graduates.
On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, in honor of the 52nd anniversary of the signing of the 1965 Higher Education Act (HEA), Council of Opportunity in Education and the Center for First-Generation Student Success launched the First-Generation College Celebration. We hope that you will join us to celebrate the identity and successes of first-generation students by supporting the First Saluki Center.
Nearly one-third of the undergraduate students in the United States are first-generation, meaning they are a student whose parents or legal guardians did not obtain a 4-year bachelor’s degree.
We are the one-stop shop to give first-generation students access to the support and services they need to successfully transition to college and obtain their degrees.
The First Saluki Center is a campus-wide collaboration - an initiative developed by the Division of Student Affairs and the Dean of Students, working together with Academic Affairs. We connect SIU’s first-generation students with academic resources, social and emotional support, financial literacy, opportunities to get involved on campus and in the community, and career preparedness assistance.
At SIU Carbondale, 40% of undergraduate students are first generation.
The First Saluki Center offers a wide variety of resources for first-generation students including: Peer Mentor Programs, A Living Learning Community, Life Skills & Academic Workshops, and Textbooks and Registration Assistance Opportunities.
Make a gift at the supporter level to help with a student receive a book scholarship.
Make a gift at the champion level to help support a student get peer mentoring.
Make a gift at the advocate level to support students with emergency funding so that they may stay enrolled at SIU.
Make a gift at the Hero level to support scholarships for First Generation SIU students.
