Sodexo helps celebrate EMCC First Generation College Week

Sodexo, dining services partner at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), helped celebrate First Generation College Students Week in early November.

First-generation students are those whose parents or guardians did not earn a bachelor's degree or higher. Currently, there are 600 students at EMCC who identify as first-generation college students.

“Acknowledging and celebrating first-generation college students is crucial because it highlights the support systems in place to ensure their success ,” said LeAnn Alexander, Dean of Students at the Golden Triangle Campus. “First-gen students often struggle with adjusting to college life because they don't have a familial reference point. They are the pioneers in their families and must navigate the process on their own. During this week, we celebrated with them and let them know we are here to help.”

Students were recognized during a home football game tailgating event and participated in 3-on-3 basketball tournament. The dining team awarded $20 Flex Dollars to each player on the first place team and $10 Flex Dollars for each player on the second place team.

Events also included a virtual panel discussion with former first-generation students, a wellness walk, and “Yoga on the Lawn”.

The EMCC dining team provided infused water, tea, fruit, finger sandwiches, dessert bars, and cookies, as well as dorm and school supplies for a student raffle, EMCC branded swag bags with pens, keychains, notebooks, and flashlights printed with inspirational messages.

Sodexo also manned Mindful Hydration Stations at each of the wellness events, featuring hydration tips, a water infusion guide, cucumber and lemon infused water, and a Mindful all-natural sports drink.

Mindful is a Sodexo dining program designed to make health and wellness easy for students.

"Supporting first-generation college events is essential as it addresses the unique challenges of individuals forging a path to higher education within their families,” said Elizabeth Brunet, Marketing Coordinator EMCC Dining Services. “These initiatives foster community, empowerment, and mentorship, breaking down barriers and ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed. It's an investment in the future, empowering students to achieve their educational goals and become trailblazers for future generations."

First-Generation College Celebration (FGCC) is an annual opportunity to raise awareness of the first-generation college student identity by advancing an asset-based, national narrative of these students’ experiences and outcomes. FGCC is celebrated annually on November 8 to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”) of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act created federal financial aid programs to fund students’ educations and made key investments in colleges and universities. Many of the HEA’s programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, promote postsecondary access, retention, and completion for today’s limited-income, first-generation college students.