Laughter and friendly competition filled the air as First-Gen Chants hosted its second annual Field Day, uniting first-generation students for an afternoon of games, food and campus connection.
The event took place on Friday from 1-5 p.m. on Prince Lawn, featuring a mix of competitive field games between academic colleges, carnival-style food, a scavenger hunt and a resource fair highlighting campus partners.
Attendees who signed up in advance received a free event T-shirt, adding to the spirited atmosphere across the lawn and making Prince Lawn quite colorful.
The event is part of First-Gen Chants’ ongoing mission to support and celebrate students who are the first in their families to attend college.
Kyle Collins, a sophomore higher education and community engagement major, is a First–Gen Chants mentor. He said the organization works year-round to provide resources, mentorship and a sense of community for first generation students navigating college life.
“First–Gen Chants allows our students to feel a sense of belonging. With them being the first person in their family to attend college, they’re kind of setting the legacy for their family,” Collins said.
Collins said events like these are meant to create an inclusive environment where students can connect with peers who share similar backgrounds and experiences.
“For a lot of first-generation students, finding that sense of belonging and being able to build a community with people sharing similar experiences really make all the difference in their college experience.” Collins Said
Abigail DeVico, a senior double major in marketing and hospitality, is a first-generation student. She said events like this showcase who first-gen students are.
“When we started about two years ago, no one really knew what First-Gen was, what the definition was, who these people were. By bringing awareness to their stories, we’re able to share that through these events,” DeVico said.
In addition to the games and activities, the resource fair allowed students to connect with campus partners offering academic support, advising and other services. First-Gen Chants frequently collaborates with these partners to ensure students are aware of the tools available to help them succeed both in and out of the classroom.
“People would look at you when you asked, ‘Are you first–gen?’ and be like, ‘Absolutely not,’ and it would be judgmental. But now we get people who celebrate being first–gen, and they come to the table and they’re so excited to be first–gen because of the amount of events we put on,” DeVico said.
As the event continues to grow in its second year, organizers hope it becomes a go-to campus tradition, bringing students together, building connections and celebrating the first-gen community at CCU.
