Topeka, Kans. – Washburn University will recognize two students and their families as a “First-generation Family of the Year” Saturday, Jan. 25 during halftime of the men’s basketball game. Brandon Moreno, Washburn University senior, and Jenny Lieurance, May 2018 graduate, and their families will be the inaugural recipients of this honor. The game starts at 3 p.m. and will be played in Lee Arena on the Washburn University campus.
It has been a long-standing tradition for Washburn to recognize families that have shown dedication to, support of and enthusiasm for the university over the years. This year the university has added recognition specifically for first-generation families.
“Our first-generation students and their families often demonstrate such passion for Washburn,” said Dr. Eric Grospitch, vice president of student life for Washburn University. “We are excited to make this part of our spring semester traditions starting in 2020.”
Washburn considers a student first generation if none of their parents or their legal guardians completed a bachelor’s degree (regardless if siblings or other relatives have earned degrees). The university has multiple programs in place specifically to integrate first-generation students and their families into Washburn University and the college experience, and has been recognized nationally by Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, or NASPA’s, Center for First-generation Student Success for their work on behalf of first-generation students.
“We found 10 years ago that nearly 50 percent of our students identify as first-generation students,” said James Barraclough, director of undergraduate initiatives. “Doing the work to establish and grow our programs to support these students created a structure that not only met their needs but provided additional opportunities for all our students.”
“Viewing learning and college through first-generation students’ perceptions has really enhanced many aspects at Washburn,” said Grospitch. “First-generation students often become ambassadors for higher education for their entire family, as well as help us better understand the challenges others still face in achieving their degrees. The ‘First-generation Family of the Year’ program is acknowledging all the efforts these students and their families have done personally for Washburn.”
Brandon Moreno
Brandon Moreno earned his Associate of Liberal Studies by starting his journey at Washburn University with the Ichabod Success Institute. He anticipates graduating with his Bachelor of Science degree in biology, with minors in chemistry and political science in December 2020. His involvement on campus has helped him discover a passion for advocacy.
“I strive to make sure other students feel like they have what they need in order to accomplish whatever goal they have,” said Moreno. “I want all students to feel as safe and welcomed as Washburn has made me feel. Feeling safe and welcomed is very important to me because being a person of color, we don’t have many spaces like that. I have been privileged enough to have this feeling of comfortability, and honestly, I don’t feel like it should be a sense of privilege but a human right.”
His desire to work on behalf of all students led Moreno to become involved in many activities at Washburn that deal with diversity and inclusion, including the NCORE committee, the Washburn Student Government Association’s diversity and inclusion committee and the academic diversity and inclusion committee. He is also a member of the We are F1rst student organization, is a peer educator and a LinC Bonner Scholar.
“When I reflect upon my proudest moments, I think of two things – how far I have come as a first-generation college student and how I have been a part of many initiatives that have positively affected students’ lives,” said Moreno. “When I say I am proud of my grades, I am proud of the leadership positions I am in, I am proud of the honor societies I have been inducted in - this is fueled by knowing I earned it for myself. That my work has helped my parents see the importance of education and has them asking my siblings about earning their degrees.”
Jenny Lieurance
Jenny Lieurance graduated in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies, and she is currently pursuing a graduate degree in the Higher Education Student Affairs program at the University of South Carolina. While at Washburn, Lieurance’s many accomplishments include helping with the Ichabod Success Institute, helping start the We Are F1rst student organization and winning the Jordan Smith Fellowship. Lieurance is the youngest of three siblings and the first to earn a degree.
“As my name was read [at commencement], I felt a sense of honor and accomplishment that out of our family seemed not to be possible ever before,” said Lieurance. “With each handshake, hug, smile and photo taken on that day, I knew that my family tree was altered. Even though I am the youngest in my family, I have given a new perspective to my four nieces and three nephews that anything is possible.”
It wasn’t always an easy journey for Lieurance as she struggled during her first semester. A conversation with her peer educator from her WU101 class helped her start to see where she did belong at Washburn and how living on campus could help in achieving her goals. Lieurance met her best friend, Natasha, who was also a first-generation student when she moved to campus. This was a pivotal point in Lieurance’s life because through Natasha, she become involved on campus and met many students just like her, with similar struggles and dreams. This fueled a passion for Lieurance to help other first-generation students that has now become her career goal.
“By the middle of my second year at Washburn, [mentors] sat down with me and shared that Student Affairs was a career path that I could take to impact students, that my passion to create a better experience for other first-generation students did not go unnoticed,” said Lieurance. “Now, as I only have one semester left in graduate school, I am able to realize how incredible moments that I was able to have at Washburn University were.”
“Many of the mentors who guided me throughout my time at Washburn are still the ones I call when I have questions or want to catch up. Every time I am back in Kansas, I know that seeing them and getting guidance is time well spent.”
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Editor’s Notes
The Ichabod Success Institute has more than 50 campus and community partners, including USD 501 Topeka Public Schools. More than a summer bridge program, the Ichabod Success Institute supports students from the summer before their first semester across their first two years of studies at Washburn, leading to an associate’s degree. Program activities, such as the five-week summer experience where students live on campus and take six credit hours for free, facilitate institutional integration, literacy skills and success behaviors, and the creation of a community of learning. In order to help more first-generation, low-income students graduate, the program layers financial, personal and academic supports.
The NCORE committee is the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education committee at Washburn University. Formed in 1961, the Southwest Center is devoted to the study, understanding, and resolution of human conflict and to promoting understanding and cooperation among people of different racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. One of the major programs of the Southwest Center is the annual NCORE conference, which serves as the leading national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education.
The LinC Bonner Scholar Program at Washburn University is a national service scholarship program supported by the Bonner Foundation in Princeton, NJ. Washburn University recognizes the dedication and accomplishments of the students in this program by conferring the university honor of LinC Bonner Scholar upon graduation after successful completion of at least three full years with the program.
Jordan Smith Fellowship: The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition provides the Jordan Smith Undergraduate Student Fellowship Award to advance the leadership skills and knowledge base of undergraduate students so that they may in turn use what they learn at the conference to enhance and encourage first-year student development on their respective campuses. The center awards up to five fellowships to undergraduate students for the annual conference on The First-Year Experience.
WU101 is a class requirement for every first-year student at Washburn University. The goal of the class is to help students transition into the life of a university student, and to aid them in developing a plan that leads to graduation. The class explores information literacy, Washburn University holistically and what it takes to succeed in college.
