Tennessee Tech first-generation students gain leadership experience at Miami conference
Eleven students from Tennessee Tech University recently traveled to Miami for the Circle of Change “First Generation Student Career & Leadership Experience” Conference, where students built professional networks, developed leadership skills and represented Tech on a national stage.
The trip was coordinated by Tech’s Office of First-Generation Student Success and organized by Charria Campbell, interim executive director of the office. Students attended workshops, keynote sessions and networking events focused on career readiness, leadership development and personal growth for first-generation college students from across the country.
Four Tech students were inducted into the inaugural National First-Generation Student Career & Leadership Honor Society at the conference, with a fifth student expected to participate in a virtual induction later this month. Campbell said Tech was one of only two universities to have students complete all requirements and attend the induction ceremony in person.
“The students committed themselves to this experience from the very beginning,” said Campbell. “They spent months participating in leadership and professional development sessions focused on everything from resume building and LinkedIn to communication skills and personal growth. It was exciting to see them step into those opportunities and realize they belonged in those spaces.”
Campbell explained that she first learned more about Circle of Change and its founder, Joshua Fredenburg, through Tech’s involvement in the FirstGen Forward Network — a consortium of universities dedicated to reaching and serving first-generation students.
After hearing more about plans for the honor society, she believed the program would offer Tech students valuable opportunities to expand their professional networks and leadership experience.
One of the conference’s most memorable moments came when graduating senior Alexis Mears was invited during the opening keynote session to share her experience as a first-generation student at Tech. According to Campbell, Mears spoke candidly about working to complete her degree debt-free and reflected on the support she found at the university.
“She shared that she had just paid her final bill before graduation and was finishing her degree debt-free,” Campbell said. “It was such a powerful moment because she talked about figuring out how to make it work and how valuable her experience at Tech had been. There were people throughout the room in tears.”
Freshman Branden Partson also represented Tech during the induction ceremony by delivering a student reflection about his experience in the program.
Beyond the conference sessions, Campbell said students repeatedly spoke about the value of connecting with peers and professionals from across the country.
“A lot of them said the networking piece was one of the biggest takeaways,” Campbell explained. “They were able to meet people from different industries, connect one-on-one with speakers and build confidence in themselves as leaders and professionals.”
For some students, the experience also marked major personal milestones. One participant flew on an airplane for the first time during the trip, while others said the opportunity helped them feel more comfortable stepping outside their normal routines and connecting with new people.
Campbell noted that minimizing costs for students was a priority in organizing the experience.
“We wanted students to focus on saying yes to the opportunity instead of worrying about how they would pay for flights, hotels or conference registration,” she said. “For many first-generation students, opportunities like this can feel out of reach financially, so being able to provide funding through Tech’s Office of Access, Belonging and Community Outreach for this experience meant a great deal.”
Campbell said the students who participated will continue sharing what they learned through future first-generation student programming at Tech, including workshops and mentoring opportunities beginning this fall.
“These students are part of the inaugural cohort of this honor society, and they represented Tennessee Tech incredibly well,” Campbell said. “I’m excited to see how they continue to grow as leaders both on our campus and beyond.”
Approximately 29 percent of undergraduate students at Tech are the first in their families to attend college. Through the Office of First-Generation Student Success, the university provides support for first-generation students from recruitment through graduation and beyond, connecting them with campus resources, faculty and staff mentors and peer support opportunities designed to help students thrive academically and professionally.
For more information about the Office of First-Generation Student Success, visit www.tntech.edu/first-gen.