CU Boulder first-generation students find support through university programs

Sep. 28—The University of Colorado Boulder increased its financial and academic support this fall for first-generation students through new and expanded programs.

The Lattice Scholars Program is a new debt-free education program for all incoming Pell Grant-eligible first-year, first-generation students from Colorado.

"These are the students who are at the highest risk who have the biggest need and have the ability to make the biggest impact when they graduate to their families, their communities and our industry," Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, said.

Molenaar said it's a "phenomenal" program that will fill the gaps in the students' financial need that aren't covered by scholarships and government financial aid.

The amount of aid students receive varies based on need, and there are about 65 students enrolled this academic year. This fall is the first-ever cohort of students in the program, which is funded entirely through donations from alumni and corporate partners.

Freshman Brandon Ta said the Lattice Scholars Program is allowing him to be "financially free" while pursuing his engineering degree at CU Boulder.

"The goal of the Lattice Program is to make it so I don't have to pay anything while I'm at CU Boulder," Ta said.

The initiative also goes beyond financial aid — it provides programmatic support, academic coaching, tutoring and resources to promote a sense of belonging. Molenaar said it will help students navigate the university system for the first time.

"Being a first-generation student myself, it's great to help the students," Molenaar said. "But thinking more broadly, we're actually helping their families. This is generationally changing, giving them an opportunity to be an engineer."

Molenaar said the job market is "incredible" for engineers. Many of the students in the program are from rural areas of Colorado, he said, and will return to their homes after graduating to benefit the communities in which they grew up.

Molenaar said the program offers a new set of students the opportunity to become engineers that didn't exist before.

"Having more diverse perspectives of students helps us to come up with an enriched learning environment and truly produces better engineering solutions and engineers because they're able to see more perspectives and have a wider array of background," Molenaar said.

Ta attended Colorado State University Pueblo for a year before enrolling at CU Boulder. He said his friends at CSU Pueblo could've taken the same route he did without being worried about the financial burdens of being a college graduate.

"There are so many opportunities to be financially free in your undergraduate years (at CU Boulder) from what I've seen so far," Ta said.

Ta is also involved in the TRiO Program, which is an academic support program for students who are first-generation, low-income, disabled, homeless, military veterans, without a parent or guardian or foster youth.

Ta said he's enrolled in alternative math classes that are smaller and help him develop a personal relationship with his teacher and classmates. He said TRiO emails him about potential opportunities, including a study abroad trip he'll be embarking on to the Dominican Republic.

Through TRiO, Ta said, he's also learned about different resources on campus like the Basic Needs Center.

Ta said he's met a lot of friends and built a community through TRiO, including his best friend, whom he never would've met without the program.

"It really helped me have someone to hang out with when I first came," he said.

Sophomore Santana Reyes is involved in the First Generation Scholars Program. Reyes said it's a year-round support program with scholarships available and is open to any first-generation student.

The First Generation Scholars Program also features support networks, she said, like workshops on building professional skills, how to network, advising and mentorship from first-generation alumni.

"I think it helped me connect with other students more," Reyes said. "I'm in engineering, so it was a bit difficult to find people like me who were first- generation and Latina. So, through the networking workshops, it helped to hear from first-generation alumni so I didn't feel so alone."

CU Boulder also expanded CU Promise, a financial aid program, that will double the number of in-state students who are eligible for free tuition and fees for the 2023-24 academic year. About 3,500 students are expected to qualify.

As a first-generation student, Reyes said, it's difficult to navigate the college systems for tuition, housing, financial aid and support services. While she's not involved in it, she said she's happy to see the addition of the Lattice Scholars Program.

"I think that CU is doing a lot for first-generation students," she said. "I'm really glad CU is deciding to take action by adding more support."