In 2020, the University opened the Newbury Center, created to foster the holistic success of first-generation college students. Around the same time, some of those students took it a step further by launching a club for first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students.
And in 2022, not only did the club founders achieve their goal of being first in their family to earn a college degree, but they leave behind a support system for those who come after.
“Most of my peers didn’t understand or even know the financial considerations I was facing,” says Maelee Chen (CAS’22). “I felt isolated.”
Chen, a first-gen student who worked several jobs while attending classes, cofounded FLIP@BostonU (First-Generation Low Income Partnership), a student-run club that offers a safe space for those from similar backgrounds to support one another, socialize, and share resources.
Now the club works closely with the Newbury Center, which provides financial support and helps develop initiatives. FLIP@BostonU helps students navigate a wide range of situations, from how to apply for food stamps to where to find professional resources to help with résumés. “FLIP is a club I would have loved to have my freshman year,” says treasurer Cecelia Jarquin Tapia (Sargent’22, SPH’23), “because my parents don’t know what it’s like to be in college.”
Annie Hallett (Sargent’22), the club’s executive vice president, says being first-gen often means having to figure things out on your own, but that doesn’t mean you have to be on your own.
“This club taught me to not be afraid to talk about my FGLI experiences,” she says. “Having those conversations with other FGLI students has been one of the highlights of my college experience.”