The First Generation registered student organization raised $365 for Riverview Elementary School for March to celebrate reading month.
The First Generation RSO or First-Gen held a bake sale that generated funds beyond what they were expecting for Riverview.
After raising money, First-Gen students volunteered at Literacy Night at Riverview.
The event included several activities for elementary children, such as dancing, rock painting and games.
In honor of March being reading month, Riverview hosted a book fair for their students at the event.
The bake sale was headed by dental hygiene freshman Sherlyne Moreno.
Moreno reflected on why it’s important for first-generation students to be active in the community.
“We First-Gen students have a passion, and we have a goal,” Moreno said. “I believe that we should spread it out more.”
Ferris has an estimated 3,000 first-generation students, according to associate professor and First-Gen Workgroup Team Leader David McCall.
First-Gen students are proud to help the community they are a part of at Ferris.
Music entertainment business fifth-year Amarion Briggs shared why he believes it is vital for First-Gen students to participate in community outreach.
“I think it’s important for First-Gen students to participate when they can so they can give back to the communities that they came from,” Briggs said.
Program Manager of Determined Dogs and Co-advisor for the First-Generation RSO at Ferris Emmanuel Ogua accompanied the RSO at the event.
Ogua played a large role in the bake sale, generating funds for Riverview’s reading month.
Students in the RSO expressed their gratitude for Ogua, stating that he encouraged them and gathered all of the ingredients.
Ogua shares the same affection for the RSO students and talked about the importance of the students who are part of First-Gen.
“It’s all about connection, community and building relationships to help each other,” Ogua said.
Many first-generation students, such as Briggs, have to overcome significant challenges to make it to college.
“With me being the first sibling out of my family, or first kid to go to college, it was kind of a big step into the unknown for me,” Briggs said. “I feel like that’s what most first-gen students share.”
Ferris has many students in the First-Gen organization who are willing to share what they have been through.
Moreno shared the obstacles she has faced as a first-generation student attending college.
“My whole life is around obstacles,” Moreno said. “I was raised by a single mother, and financially, I didn’t think I was able to come to college, but she put a strive mentality in me.”
Students in Ferris’ First-Gen RSO prioritize their involvement in the community despite some of them coming from challenging backgrounds.
Ogua reflected on how students have inspired him to be involved in First-Gen.
“This [bake sale] started out as an idea from one of our First-Gen students. She told me she wanted to do a bake sale to help the community,” Ogua said. “We raised almost $400 to purchase books for the students here at the school.”
Ogua expressed his excitement about the success of First-Gen students and their dedication to helping the community.
“There’s so many inspiring stories. I see stories every single day,” Ogua said. “I see students making it and creating ways for other people, and it keeps me going in this job.”
The First Generation RSO meets in the FLITE library at 6 p.m., and their meeting dates can be found on the Ferris First-Gen page.