To further the visibility of Lafayette College's first-generation population, this directory was created to highlight faculty and administrators who identify as first-generation college students themselves.
Lafayette faculty and administrators, were you a first-generation college student?
Complete this form to be added to the directory!
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Educational Background: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Lafayette College, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science
Educational Background: B.S.E University of Connecticut, M.S.E and Ph.D. University of Michigan
Department: Economics
Educational Background: MBA, CPA
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Having to navigate the unknown.
Department: Biology
Educational Background: Ph.D.
Department: International Affairs
Educational Background: Ph.D. The New School
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
To me, it means learning unspoken norms of higher education while challenging the ideas that reproduce the status quo. It also means having to strike a balance between living up to family or community expectations and self-validating my choices in exploring my own educational and career path.
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience
Educational Background: Ph.D.
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Knowing that I might not have had the same preparation as others prior to attending college, but that my family taught me to trust my instincts and gave me the strength and support I needed to try again when I’ve failed. Failure is an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, it only defines you if you let it.
Department: Mathematics
Educational Background: Ph.D.
Department: Chemistry
Educational Background: B.S., M.S., and Ph.D.
Department: Neuroscience
Educational Background: Ph.D. University of Delaware
Department: Psychology
Educational Background: Ph.D. Northern Illinois University
Department: Religious Studies
Educational Background: B.A. Columbia University, M.Div. Austin Seminary, Ph.D. Arizona State University
Department: Art
Educational Background: Ph.D. University of Virginia
Department: Environmental Sciences and Studies
Educational Background: B.S. Integrated Language Arts Education Youngstown State University, M.A. English Literature Kent State University, Ph.D. Environmental Sciences, Studies, and Policy University of Oregon
Department: Anthropology and Sociology
Educational Background: PhD
Department: Psychology
Educational Background: Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology
Department: Theater
Educational Background: B.S. Manchester College, M.F.A. Purdue University
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Educational Background: B.S. Chemical and Biomedical engineering Carnegie Mellon University (‘03), M.S. Environmental Engineering and Science John’s Hopkins university (‘17), PhD Environmental engineering Lehigh University (‘25)
Department: Jewish Studies & Russian and East European Studies
Educational Background: Ph.D. Brandeis University
Department: Biology and Environmental Science and Studies
Educational Background: Ph.D.
Department: Theater
Educational Background: Ph.D.
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
It’s a big part of my identity.
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Educational Background: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Cornell, M.S. and Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Michigan
Department: History
Educational Background: Ph.D. University of Chicago
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Educational Background: B.S., Lafayette College, M.S, and Ph.D. University of Michigan
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Educational Background: B.S. Lafayette College, Ph.D. University of Akron
Department: Biology
Educational Background: Ph.D., B.S.
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Being a 1stGen means I was afforded opportunities that my parents could barely conceive and had never dreamt. Education was a gift not to be taken for granted. For that reason alone it was enough to motivate my drive and persistence. It also meant I had to work harder to fit in with others of more affluence, trying to hide my limitations, while not forgetting my roots. It meant scrupulous avoidance of entitlement. So it meant begin careful never to squander the opportunities and options that came my way, but to seek living up to my potential at every turn.
Department: Gateway Career Center
Educational Background: MBA Centenary University
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Fulfilling the dream that my parents and grandparents had for me as this advances our families potential for success for many generations moving forward.
Department: Learning and Research Technologies, ITS
Educational Background: B.A., Elementary Education, Grove City College, M.Ed. Higher Education Administration, College of William and Mary
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
It means a lot. Having grown up in a loving family where means were limited, education was always a priority for my parents. As such, the expectation for me early on was that I would attend college. Expectations mean a lot, and so going to college is what I did. College afforded me opportunities to learn about the world in ways I never imagined, both through the curriculum as well as through extracurricular activities like touring choir where we traveled the country. I believe wholeheartedly that college, along with the support from my parents, gave me the courage and confidence to leave the comfort zone of my hometown in Western PA, and to move to Virginia to start a wholly new life as a school teacher. The rest is literally (my) history.
Department: Residence Life
Educational Background: B.A. Moravian College (now University), M.Ed. Kutztown University
Department: Residence Life
Educational Background: B.A. Thiel College, M.S. Ed. Youngstown State University
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
It gave me the chance to represent my family and be a part of something for the very first time.
Department: Gateway Career Center
Educational Background: B.S. Management Information Technology
Department: Athletics
Educational Background: B.S. University of Delaware, M.Ed. East Stroudsburg University
Department: Student Involvement
Educational Background: B.S. East Stroudsburch University, M.Ed. Kutztown University
Department: Recreation Services & Leadership Education Program
Educational Background: Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Department: Provost’s Office
Educational Background: BSW/B.A. and MSW
Department: Gateway Career Center
Educational Background: M.Ed. Student Affairs Higher Education
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Feeling the family pressure to “have a better opportunity” than my parents. This was so important to them and I didn’t realize what that meant for my future at the time. I’m thankful that they pushed me to attend college. As a professional, I am happy to help students navigate these uncertain waters to enable their success, as well.
Department: International and Off-Campus Education
Educational Background: B.A. French, University of Pittsburgh, M.A. French, Boston University
Department: Geology and Environmental Geosciences
Educational Background: Ph.D. Northeastern University
Department: Finance
Educational Background: Bachelors Degree
Department: Public Safety
Educational Background: Criminal Justice
Department: Gateway Career Center
Educational Background: Masters Degree
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Being afforded an opportunity the generation(s) before me didn’t have.
Department: Human Resources
Educational Background: M.A. Human Resources, New School University
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
I am proud of this achievement and open to being a resource to others who face first gen challenges.
Department: Mathematics
Educational Background: B.A.
What does being a first-generation college student mean to you?
Being a first-gen commuting college student on a tight budget makes me sensitive to students in our community who may have lesser resources. Constant mooching from my friends who had meal plans makes me share leftovers from dept events with any hungry students I encounter. :)
Department: Athletics
Educational Background: Bachelors Lafayette College, Masters Columbia University