Coffee & Conversation Events Bring Together First-Generation Community

Midwestern University held Coffee & Conversation events, a first-generation mentorship initiative, for first-generation students, faculty, and staff to meet and share methods of support on the Downers Grove Campus.  The first-generation community experience includes being the first in their families to finish a college degree, or the first to establish themselves in the United States. They also learned about mentorship and Tri-Alpha, the national first-generation organization. Attendees also shared their first-generation stories. 

First-generation students met peer mentors and had the opportunity to join the mentorship initiative for continuous support. They connected with faculty and staff who share their first-generation identity. The students were asked to describe their strengths and the ways they would like to be supported by the first-generation community, including coursework expectations, academic support, how to build a professional network and relationships with course directors and staff, and financial aid processes. The students also received pins to share their first-generation identity. 

“I think this opened our students up to see that there are lots of resources available at Midwestern University that they can use. Being a first-generation individual, it is honestly difficult to figure out everything on your own while also being in healthcare. I am so glad we have these resources available here,” said Vakishan Nadarajah, O.D., FAAO, FSLS, Associate Professor, Chicago College of Optometry (CCO). 

Jenny Lau, O.D., Assistant Professor, Chicago College of Optometry (CCO) said, “I think it is nice to be able to get together outside of your department to talk about similar experiences. This is important to recognize how far we have all come as a community and how much of an impact we can make for others.” 

Attendees described the importance of the Coffee & Conversation event. Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine student Luisa Rodriguez (CCOM ’27) and a graduate of the Biomedical Sciences Program (CGS-Downers Grove MABS ’22) said, “As a first-generation student, it’s hard to find opportunities to connect with other students. When you don’t find a community, it’s hard to have confidence and feel like you’re supposed to be here. When you do find others, you help each other grow and succeed.”

Physician Assistant student Marissa Mussatto (CHS-Downers Grove PA ’26) echoed the value of first-generation support and events. “We do deal with extra stressors in navigating school and schoolwork and building a network. We don’t have parents to guide us.” Sometimes, parents who did not attend college might not understand the time commitment that studying for a professional degree requires, she said.

Attendees also discussed their journeys as first-generation students and their pursuit of higher education in healthcare. Adrian Valadez, Pharm.D., Post Doctoral Fellow, Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove (CPDG), shared that his mother was a case manager in a hospital and shared her interest in the healthcare field with him. “She would bring me to work to steer me in the right direction of any career in the medical field,” Dr. Valadez said. He also emphasized the importance of connecting with students on campus through events like Coffee & Conversation. “Through conversation, we can share future opportunities that we might not know exist. It also gives students confidence to own their identity,” he said.

Dental medicine student J.P. Parker (CDMI ’28) discussed how his experience motivated him to pursue a career in dentistry. “My community and my family had poor oral care. What I would like to do is educate them to understand oral care and how it’s tied to your systemic health.” 

Dental medicine student Erica Sanford (CDMI ’26), who also serves as a mentor, described her role as the oldest of four children as one of the reasons she pursued higher education. “I really want to pave a path for my siblings and be the role model I looked for growing up,” she said, Erica also reflected on her experience as a mentee. “I became more vulnerable, shared my story, and I realized how much more confident I became. I decided to become a mentor to give that confidence to other people.”

Through events like Coffee & Conversation, Midwestern University offers several ways to support their first-generation students pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors and other healthcare professionals. Danielle Bank, Learning Specialist, Student Services, said, “The more we help our campus community recognize and celebrate first-generation identity, the more students see their place in the healthcare professions.”