Flagship First-Gen

Are you a first-generation college student?

Simply put, are you the first person in your family to go to college?

At the University of Mississippi, we are committed to helping our first-generation college student community thrive. The term ‘‘First Generation College Student” means—

• An individual whose parents/guardians did not complete a four-year degree
• In the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only one parent/guardian, an individual whose only such parent/guardian did not complete a four-year degree
• An individual who does not know the status of parent/guardian’s educational attainment

First-Gen Student Network

If you identify as a first-generation college student, you are invited to be a part of the First-Generation Student Network! Throughout the semester, the Network hosts events and shares resources catered to the first-gen experience. You can learn more about the First-Generation Student Network through the FORUM. The FORUM is your place to discover opportunities at Ole Miss. You can also find information about events, service activities and student organizations.

Come get to know other first-gen students on campus and learn from first-gen alumni.

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Alpha Alpha Alpha Honor Society

Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) Honor Society is a chapter-based membership organization and promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and campus and community service for first-generation college students.

Induction into Tri-Alpha is earned by outstanding academic achievement (3.2 GPA or higher for undergraduates) and lasts for a lifetime. The Society’s mission is to encourage and reward academic excellence among first-generation college students.

The University of Mississippi is home to the first chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha in Mississippi and accepts new members every spring. If you would like to know more about becoming a member of Alpha Alpha Alpha, please contact Flagship First-Gen .

The 2026 Alpha Alpha Alpha application is now live until March 4th. Please select your UM campus below to access the application for your respective campus location:

• Oxford-Main Campus Application
• Grenada Regional Campus Application
• DeSoto Regional Campus Application 
• Booneville Regional Campus Application
• Tupelo Regional Campus Application 

First-Generation Events

Each year the University hosts two signature events to celebrate the accomplishments of our first-generation students. On November 8, the university recognizes the annual First-Generation College Celebration day. Each spring, we celebrate the accomplishments of graduating first-generation students at the First-Gen Evening of Excellence. Follow Flagship First-Gen on social media for more updates. 

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First-Gen Evening of Excellence 

The 2026 First-Gen Evening of Excellence will take place on Monday, April 27th from 5:00-7:00PM in the Gertrude Ford Student Union Ballroom. This event honors graduating first-generation students at the University of Mississippi and celebrates their academic achievements and contributions to the university community. More information will be shared soon to graduating students.

Email Signatures

The University of Mississippi is home to many first-generation students, faculty, and staff while others are supporters of first-generation students.

Do you want to signal your first-generation status to demonstrate your connection with other first-gen community members at UM? First-generation Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff are encouraged to add a digital sticker below their email signature, such as:

Download the digital sticker for: Students, Grad Students, Faculty, or Staff. (To download, click the appropriate link, right-click the image, and click “Save As.” Once you have saved the image to your files, add it to your email signature by accessing your email account settings.)

Find Out More

If you would like to know more about our ongoing efforts to support First-Generation College students, please contact our team at flagshipfirstgen@olemiss.edu.