Celebrating First-Generation Students
What Is First at Pitt?
Pitt defines a first-generation college student as a student who is the first in their immediate family to attend college.
The First at Pitt initiative identifies, supports, and celebrates our current first-generation students, as well as first-generation faculty, staff, and alumni. These individuals are considered part of the First at Pitt community.
First at Pitt also seeks to identify individuals who are First at Pitt Advocates—faculty and staff that are not first-generation themselves but are committed to supporting first-generation students.
Pitt supports first-generation students through a variety of programs, initiatives, and the actions of countless individuals. First at Pitt is here to connect all of those wonderful programs and individuals together, so our first-generation students and their supporters are easy to recognize!
If you are first-generation, you are First at Pitt. If you are not first-generation, but are committed to supporting first-generation students, you are a First at Pitt Advocate.
Annual Events
November: First Stories Dinner
Every November, around November 8, we kick off First Generation College Celebration Week with a dinner. Stay tuned for updates and details!
See what else happened during First Generation College Celebration Week in 2026.
January: First Connections Day
Every January, on the Tuesday after MLK Day, students and alumni mentors matched through the Pitt Commons Mentoring Group come together online to kick off their mentoring journey.
It’s a welcoming first hello; a chance to meet, get to know one another, and start planning how to connect in the months ahead.
Want to be part of it? Sign up for Pitt Commons, join our First at Pitt Mentoring Program, and we’ll help you find your match.
Spring: First at Pitt (Mentor/Mentee) Mixer
Every spring, as the academic year winds down, First at Pitt mentors and mentees come together to check in, share how their year went, and celebrate everything they’ve built.
It’s a relaxed, friendly way to close out the term with the person who’s been in your corner, whether you’ve met every week or are just getting to know each other.
Stay tuned for more details!
First at Pitt
If you are First at Pitt, please help us identify, support, and celebrate you by wearing a First at Pitt shirt or pin, placing a sticker on your door, or by using a First at Pitt virtual background.
Downloads: Click images to download virtual background files or wordmark.
Virtual backgrounds:
Wordmark:
First at Pitt Advocates
If you are a First at Pitt Advocate, please help first-generation students identify you by wearing at First at Pitt advocate pin, placing a sticker on your office door, or by using a First at Pitt Advocate virtual background.
To pick up your First at Pitt swag, please visit the Student Success Hub (217 Langley Hall) or download the virtual First at Pitt background and word marks here!
Downloads: Click images to download virtual background files or wordmark.
Virtual backgrounds:
Wordmark:
