First-Generation Graduate Students

In spite of the global challenges of 2021, Duke F1RSTS had a successful fall semester of events! Check out our Fall 2021 gallery in the Past Events tab. We’re looking forward to Spring 2022 with all our members!

We had great success distributing Duke F1RSTS shirts and care packages to our members! There are some shirts leftover, so if you’re interested in receiving one, please contact dukef1rsts-request@duke.edu. We hope that you proudly wear your shirt around campus!

Thank you to everyone who attended the 4th Annual First-Gen Grad Student Symposium hosted by UNC, Duke, and Boston University! The successful event gave attendees the opportunity to reflect on their 1G identity and strengthen our community of grad students with similar backgrounds. Special thanks to Felicia Lim and Kayla Fernando for organizing the event, and Urann Chan and Dr. Jen’nan Read for serving as speakers. We’re looking forward to next year’s symposium (hopefully in-person)!

Thank you to everyone who attended our Writing and Resume Workshops this semester! We enjoyed partnering with the Duke TWP Writing Studio and the Duke Career Center in hosting these events and giving our members the opportunity to have their works and resume/CV peer reviewed. Learn more about the Duke TWP Writing Studio and the Duke Career Center on their websites.

The 2020-2021 Duke F1RSTS Executive Board has been working diligently throughout the summer to plan events for the year. Learn more about each Board member here. Keep a lookout for information in our Facebook group and listserv on the upcoming Duke F1RSTS Kick-Off, Writing Workshop, Resume Workshop, social events, and more!

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jen’nan Read, Chair and Professor of Sociology, is Duke F1RSTS’ new faculty advisor. Learn more about Dr. Read and her research on her website and how her first-generation background has shaped her academic journey here. We’re looking forward to Dr. Read’s participation in our organization!

Additionally, many thanks to our former faculty advisor Dr. Joshua Sosin for his contributions and role in founding Duke F1RSTS. We wish him the best on his sabbatical and future endeavors.

Congratulations to Kaylee Alexander for winning our logo design competition! We’re looking forward to featuring her design on our website, social media platforms, and future merchandise. Thank you to everyone who submitted a design.

Join us for our third annual Duke-UNC First-Gen Grad Student Symposium on Saturday February 29th in the Korman Assembly Room (Perkins 217) from 8:30am-2:00pm! The Symposium will feature our keynote speaker, Sonja Ardoin whose work as a professor at Appalachian State University focuses on first-gen identity in higher education. Enjoy a day with a first-gen community of students from Duke and UNC while honing skills to articulate and leverage your first-gen story through workshops. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please register at https://go.unc.edu/1GenSymposiumDuke.

Join us for a Writing Workshop on Monday, Sep 23 at noon! Where: The Edge Workshop Room, Bostock Library 127.

Lunch included. Register here: http://bit.ly/1gWritingWorkshop

Facilitated by Dr. Eliana Schonberg (Professor at the Thompson Writing Studio) and Dr. Brad Teague (Director of English for Internationals). All disciplines are welcome. Please bring a writing sample (abstract, cover letter, chapter…).

You will

• receive an introduction to writing support available at Duke
• learn about techniques and literature to improve writing
• edit with your peers some writing samples. This will give you an idea of how you can proceed from a session to enhancing your writing long-term
• chance to ask questions and find draft buddies!