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Sheila Edwards Lange, Ph.D.
Chancellor, UW Tacoma
I still remember how I felt stepping onto a university campus for the first time. I was the first in my family to go to college, with few financial resources, and I wasn't entirely sure how I managed to get there. I didn't know what to expect — and honestly, I didn't know if I belonged.
My experience being that kid with a deep love of learning and an uncertain path shaped who I am and everything I've done since. Now, as chancellor of the University of Washington Tacoma, it's my mission to create transformative educational opportunities for all students. When Huskies feel uncertain whether they belong in college, as I once did, I want to assure them that they do — and that they're here not by chance but on purpose.
Reflection #1: You will walk in multiple worlds
A unique tension marks the journey of first-generation students (and faculty and staff): we walk between worlds, constantly translating and code-switching. In one world, we're learning the hidden language of college life: figuring out financial aid, class schedules, and time management. In the other, we're the family translator (often literally), trying to explain systems that we're just beginning to understand ourselves.
Many first-generation students carry impostor syndrome in silence, afraid that asking for help might confirm that we don't belong. We're sometimes torn between academic goals and family or caregiving responsibilities, with pressure to support our loved ones even before we've reached financial stability ourselves.
I remember sending my financial aid money home to help my mother during my first year and struggling with what that meant for my own housing and food needs.
I know I'm not alone in this.
If I could share one thing with all first-generation students, it would be this: Know in your heart that you being on campus is not an accident or just a stroke of luck. You are part of a powerful legacy of learners. Your questions aren't signs that you don't belong — they're proof of your courage to grow. You bring perspectives that add irreplaceable depth to our academic community.
It's safe to ask for help here. It's something most of us would benefit from doing more often.
Reflection #2: Just keep coming back to the "Why"
The stories of first-generation students are as diverse as our community. When I went to college, it wasn't just about me. Although I didn't know then, while I found my footing, my journey was rippling through other people's lives.
Earlier this summer, my brother sent me a letter. We grew up with different challenges, and though life threw each of us our own hardships, he told me how he always remembers me as a kid — sitting on the couch with a book.
I have to laugh because I remember teaching myself new words by reading the only books we had at home: the encyclopedia and a dictionary.
My family didn't have the easiest time, but even when my brother struggled, he knew I would be there to lend two hands, never just one. He wrote that I was our family's "crown jewel" — a title I could never have imagined or claimed for myself. But I'm beginning to see now what he means. My journey through education has become a story of possibility for my family.
When I went to university, I brought my family to university, too.
Now, all my nieces and nephews have gone to college. For them, it wasn't a question of "could" or "should;" it became a question of "Where?"
As a family, we are better off now in so many ways. We can advocate for our health, support one another, and make decisions that feel informed and empowering. My nephew graduated from UW Bothell with two degrees, and he now volunteers his time working with youth in Seattle's public housing communities. We've grown and become a family that values and celebrates education, service, and community connections.
The path of a first-generation student isn't just about the individual person. It's about expanding what's possible for entire families, found families, and communities. We aren't just earning degrees. We're creating new narratives about who belongs in higher education and what they can accomplish.
This is why my role as an educator is so important to me. It's about creating more stories of first-generation students succeeding, more "crown jewels" in other families.
Reflection #3: The importance of celebrating
Today, as chancellor of UW Tacoma, I see a familiar determination in our first-generation students. When I walk across campus, I see them balancing academics with their jobs and caregiving responsibilities and pursuing dreams that will lift communities.
We value the community cultural wealth our students bring to their education. Many of our faculty and staff are first-generation, and their connection and passion for serving our students shows up every day.
I'm proud to share that UW Tacoma was recently selected as one of just 14 institutions nationwide to be named a FirstGen Forward Network Champion. This recognition reflects our deep commitment to first-generation students, who comprise 53% of our undergraduates.
The impact of our work is evident in the outcomes. Over the past three years, we've closed the first-year retention gap between first-generation and continuing-generation undergraduate students. This achievement didn't happen by chance. It resulted from dedicated effort, starting with student advocacy that led to the creation of our Office of First-Generation Student Initiatives in 2018, now called the Office of First Gen.
With student advocates and the help of faculty and staff leaders, we've expanded our support services, created new mentor programs, and worked to make our campus a place where all students can thrive. Importantly, we've co-created a community that truly celebrates being first-generation.
On November 8, we'll commemorate the National First-Generation College Celebration. We will lift up the experiences of our first-generation community members on our Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma campuses. In Tacoma, we will unveil the latest first-gen poster series celebrating new First-gen Plus students, alumni, faculty, and staff and the fifth anniversary of our Office of First Gen.
In closing, being a first-generation college student isn't just about being the first; it's about making sure you're not the last. It's about opening paths for those who will follow. And, while you might be the first in your family or friends to take this journey, remember that on UW campuses, you are not walking it alone.
Posted in partnership with the Office of Advancement
