Thousands of BU students are the first in their families to attend college or to seek graduate and professional degrees. We proudly call them “Terrier F1RSTS.” We admire the resilience and self-reliance of these trailblazing students and strive to provide practical resources to help them succeed. Get to know some of our Terrier F1RSTS by checking out the videos on the “Learn More” page.
We are excited to highlight three of our military-affiliated Terrier F1RSTS on Veterans Day! We thank ALL of our military-affiliated students, whether they are veterans, active duty, ROTC, in the Reserves, or family members of veterans! Margarita "Maggie" Chavez Hometown: Los Angeles, California Undergrad Program: Los Angeles Community College; American Military University Current Degree […]
Boston University's Fall Induction Ceremony for the Gamma Iota Chapter of the Alpha Alpha Alpha National Honor Society takes place on November 9, 2026 at 6PM EDT. The livestream begins at 5:45 pm with a slideshow. The live ceremony will begin at 6 PM EDT unless we run into any technical difficulties. We welcome […]
This article was written by Elena Pejic at the Daily Free Press. Read more about our collaboration with the BU Libraries engagement team.
Join the Newbury Center and the entire BU community as we celebrate the achievements and experiences of our first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. While the official date for the National First-Generation College Celebration is November 8th, we're celebrating for a whole week. The Newbury Center and the entire BU community events: Monday, November 2: […]
What is a first-generation undergrad student? A student in the first generation of their family to go to college (i.e., a student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn bachelor’s degrees, although elder siblings and cousins may be attending college already or have earned four-year degrees). What is a first-generation graduate/professional student? A student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did […]
Briana is a first-generation college graduate and worked at the Newbury Center during her undergraduate degree. She has now graduated from BU twice within the past three years.
BU Photographer Cydney Scott highlights a moment where the undergraduate student speakers shared what graduating means to them and their families through a photo at the first-generation pinning ceremony on May 15, 2026.
Kim Nguyen (CAMED’26) & Kim Ta (CAMED’26) share their experiences at BU and finding community at the Newbury Center as graduate students. Read the BU Today article.
Boston University is proud to have been named a FirstGen Forward Network institution. This designation recognizes our commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students.