@theU

Hear what it’s like to be a college pioneer at First Gen-Con, an event to help first-generation students connect, share their experiences and meet staff and faculty who can help them navigate the college experience.

“When my mother passed from domestic violence at the hands of my father when I was three years old, it had a dramatic impact on me and my older brother. My father was in prison until I was 25 and died from alcoholism, and my brother eventually committed suicide. Of that union, I am the last one left. The only thing that was different for me was that I was given the opportunity to go to school—this is what truly allowed me to be where I am today.”

“During my first year at the U, I became involved with the student organization of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.)…[it] encouraged my desire to live socially conscious by striving for equity and social justice, particularly for historically marginalized groups in the country, and to promote education through a critical lens.”

Commencement will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, we’ll profile graduates from across the university.

University of Utah Alumni Association awards $550,000 in scholarships and honors political attorney and U professor.

Commencement will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, we’ll profile graduates from across the university.