First Generation Community Thrives at Saint Mary’s College
First generation student Mish Yepez-Cornejo ’26 has a summer job lined up in the Office for Student Equity at Saint Mary’s. Her recent creation of Hidden Syllabus, a comprehensive resource guide for fellow first gens covers everything from traditions like The Ring to navigating academics, finances, and myriad other topics that students may not know, with helpful links throughout. In it, she shared: “As a first gen student, you might sometimes feel like you're charting unknown territory,” she said. “There may be moments when you wonder if you truly belong or if you're making the right decisions. But students should remember, they’ve earned their place here, and they have everything it takes to succeed.”
First generation students thrive at Saint Mary’s College, according to Christin Kloski ’15, director of the Office for Student Equity. They’re supported through wraparound services, dedicated staff members, and each other. “We have a panel of students who talk about resources on campus, and they talk about their journeys,” Kloski said.
Yepez-Cornejo supports peers through Hidden Syllabus, as well as assisting with orientation preparation for the Kessler Scholars and Belles Connect Scholars, and in the development of a template for First Gen Week, a resource that is shared with first gen families.
“She will be our student worker (summer 2025) as she has demonstrated roles in leadership with the office and attending programming, such as being on the OSE student advisory board and First Gen Family leadership team last year (2023-2024), " Kloski said.
“I’m absolutely proud of the space Saint Mary’s has provided me with to grow intellectually, emotionally, and physically,” said Jaida Beasley ’25, who graduates in May with her degree in Physics. “This school and its community has not only filled my cup to overflow, but it has given me the resources to understand how I can use my cup to fill others.”
I’m absolutely proud of the space Saint Mary’s has provided me with to grow intellectually, emotionally, and physically
- Jaida Beasley ’25
The campus team serving First Gen students includes Donna Taylor-Schuman, assistant director of Student Equity and First Gen Programs, and also lead of the Kessler Scholars Program; Redgina Hill, vice president for Inclusion and Equity; Adriana Petty ’01, director of International Students and Multicultural Services. Kloski, Taylor-Schuman, Petty, and Hill are all First Gen. The team provides decals to faculty and staff who identify as First Gen.
Essential to their success at Saint Mary’s is the opportunity for first generation students to feel a sense of belonging. At the beginning of the school year, students get acquainted with each other and First Gen faculty and staff through events. “It's just a very chill hangout opportunity for students to interact with faculty and staff who identify as First Gen, where we have a conversation with them and just build community through that,” Kloski explained.
Students in the First Gen Leadership Club help plan events for the academic year. This year, these events included the four-part series Being ______ and First Gen. The final presentation featured leaders from the tri-campus community, who spoke about Being an Executive Leader and First Gen. Hill represented Saint Mary’s on the panel. The other three topics in the series were Being Black, Latina, and a Student Leader and First Gen.
At another event this spring, Saint Mary’s welcomed the Wilpon family, founders of the Kessler Scholars Collaborative, a nationwide initiative that provides support for first-generation students. Saint Mary’s is the only all-women’s college out of 16 nationwide that are part of the collaborative. On the day of their visit, Taylor-Schuman beamed as she escorted Fred Wilpon, 88, through a gauntlet of ebullient First Gens students, all waving blue and white pom-poms from Le Mans Hall to the event at Hagger College Center.
At the welcome reception—where students had a chance to talk about their college trajectories with the Wilpon family and Kessler Scholars administrative team—Taylor-Schuman stated, “The impact of this program at Saint Mary’s is more than just academic success, it’s about creating a community, a family, that ensures every student has the tools, resources, and encouragement they need from the moment they step onto campus.”
Chloe Smith ’27, a Kessler Scholar majoring in Global Affairs and Biology, spoke about the assets First Gens bring to the College. “I embrace my First Gen identity as a strength and strive to make a difference,” she said.
First Gens enjoyed a cookout following their first-ever pinning ceremony. “Our First Gen leadership team came up with an idea to celebrate the end of the year, and we did a cookout,” Kloski said. The event had songs, food, games, and a vibe that students would enjoy at a backyard gathering with their families.
As this group of First Gens get ready to graduate, Kloski marvels at their progress: “I think the most significant thing that I've seen is their outward concern for students that are having the same journey as them, in how to be mindful of things that our office can do to improve. So they're never thinking about themselves.”
May 13, 2025