The new First Gen Den opened its doors to students on Nov. 14, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The event was well attended, with faculty and students surrounding the entrance to the new room in support.
The First Gen program is a service dedicated to students on campus who are first-generation students.
At Ferris, a first-generation student is defined as an individual who comes from a family where neither parent completed a bachelor’s degree in the United States, and/or students who identify as having minimal exposure or knowledge of the university experience prior to attending.
The goal of the program is to advocate for first-gen students and connect them with resources or support to assist them with their college studies.
Ferris State has been recognized as a First-Gen Forward Network Champion Institution, receiving the highest distinction through First-Gen Forward in 2025 as one of only 18 higher education institutions selected.
The First-Gen program at Ferris hosts monthly events for students in the program and provides a supply depot where students can get free school supplies they need to succeed in classes.
The First-Gen Den is the next step to growing the program on campus.
Associate Professor of Integrated Studies David McCall is a Ferris alum and first-generation student himself, who now spearheads the First-Gen program at the university.
According to McCall, the Den has been an idea for years.
“It’s been a vision for about five years now, to create a space for first-gen students and we have done tremendous work over the years,” McCall said. “I always laughed when students would email me or call me and ask where the first-gen office was and I would say, it’s my faculty office. That’s all we got. We wanted to create a space for them to bring a sense of belonging, support, celebration and a place where they could come hang out and feel like they were themselves.”
McCall further explained that everything first-gen will now be housed in the Den space, including mentoring programs for students.
In his speech before the ribbon-cutting, McCall thanked the first-gen work group, first-gen RSO and faculty for their dedication and hard work in the program.
In attendance was President Bill Pink, who spoke to the importance of supporting students through college toward graduation.
“I love how we define first-gen. Revolutionary. Fearless. Proud. I want to get my Sharpie out and put champion on there, because that’s who you are,” Pink said. “More start college than finish college. I wish that was an untruth. Many students start, but fewer finish. Here in our institution, you are looking at a space that is dedicated to helping you be one of the ones that says you finished. If you are one of our first-gen students, let’s get this thing done.”
Students from the first-gen RSO were also in attendance at the ceremony, with the opportunity to speak to attendees and share their first-gen stories, including what brought them to Ferris and the importance of the Den.
For many, having a space to be themselves and build community was the most important factor.
Dental Hygiene junior Mia DeBerry explained the importance of attending a school that seems to care.
“It makes me feel honored, that I go to a school that cares enough to see that first of all, has national recognition for their first generation demographics, but also that they put the effort into making us feel welcome, supported and gives us a great space to network,” DeBerry said. “Being first-gen has given me a lot of perseverance and resilience. Using that experience and that resilience in this space to connect with younger first-gen students is very important to me.”
McCall also announced at the ribbon-cutting that the program received enough funding to hire a full-time staff member dedicated to assisting students with their academic and professional needs.
Dental hygiene sophomore Sherlyne Moreno expressed that the professional assistance of the first-gen program has been a game-changer.
“First-gen, for me, has opened up a lot of doors. Right now I am an RA, and I wouldn’t have been an RA without the help of first-gen, to be honest,” Moreno said. “I’ve met so many people through first-gen and I have done a lot of networking, which is probably one of the most important things to do in college. I’ve met a lot of first-gen students who are more timid or keep to themselves, but this is a place for them to branch off.”
The Den is located in FLITE 119.