Dear Triton Families,

Welcome to the first First-Generation Triton Family Connection e-Newsletter of the academic year! This special edition of our quarterly e-newsletter features content curated specifically for families of first-generation Tritons. Over 40% of UC San Diego students are the first in their families to go to college. Our first-generation students represent every college and every major on campus. They are athletes and artists, RAs and peer tutors, student government representatives and research assistants — just to name a few.

Your student has accomplished incredible things to get where they are today, and we know they didn’t do it alone. Family support and involvement are among the biggest factors that contribute to first-generation students’ success and motivation. That means that no matter how you show up for and support your student, you play an important role in their UC San Diego journey. Our hope is that the resources, stories and insights collected in this newsletter will help you continue to support your first-generation student and better understand and feel more connected to their UC San Diego experience.

Sincerely,
Margot Clifford
Director, Parent and Family Programs

Community and belonging are essential to student success. This section highlight efforts across campus to celebrate and foster first-gen community and spotlights individuals from across our Triton community who share their first-gen experience. 

First-Gen Student Spotlight: Yvania M. Rubio

How does your family or community participate in your collegiate experience?
I love giving my four younger sisters tours of campus, pointing out the dining halls and sharing stories about the classes I’ve taken in each building. For my grandmother, who is always concerned about my health, I make it a priority to call her before and after my doctor’s checkups at the student health services (SHS) center, reassuring her with my lab results that show I’m healthy and ready to keep working hard. When school feels overwhelming, I turn to my aunt, father and older cousins for emotional and moral support. They never fail to remind me that no one is better suited than I am to achieve my academic and career aspirations. I deeply cherish and value the unwavering support of my family.

First-Gen Staff Spotlight: Jo Jo Lee

Jo Jo is a UC San Diego alumna and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC) serving as a Triton CORE clinician.

If you could have dinner with your first-generation college-self, what would you say?
If I could sit down to dinner with my first-generation college self, I’d tell that anxious girl to take a deep breath and remember she’s not alone. Coming from an immigrant family and being the first to attend college was a huge milestone — a moment of pride. But it also came with the challenge of navigating the UC system on her own. I'd encourage her to reach out to academic advisors, explore campus resources, and allow herself a slower pace in that first quarter. In time, everything will start to make sense if we give ourselves the space to learn, grow and make mistakes along the way. And most importantly, I'd remind her to celebrate every accomplishment, big or small!

Each student’s academic journey is different. This section focuses on resources and support systems at UC San Diego that help your student take full advantage of their academic ability, discover opportunities to excel and gain transferable skills, and achieve.

Finding Academic Support on Campus

Teaching + Learning Commons Serving First-Generation Students

First-generation students can access academic and experiential learning support at the Commons including study groups and tutoring sessions where students can master class content, improve their writing and build bridges between academic and co-curricular activities, such as on-campus student employment, academic internships and peer mentorship. These on- and off-campus experiential learning opportunities enable students to “learn by doing,” preparing them for success at UC San Diego and beyond.

Resources are offered in Spanish, too. Learn more here.

Meeting the cost of an undergraduate education is a significant investment. In this section, you'll find resources dedicated to ensuring that students and families have the support and information they need to navigate financial challenges and build pathways to the future.

Connect with the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office

As parents and family members, you are important members of our Triton community. We hope you'll get involved and take advantage of all this community has to offer!