Santa Fe College has been awarded a $5,000 grant to organize a leadership conference for students who are the first in their families to attend college. The college is among 26 institutions nationwide to receive this support, which is funded by TIAA and backed by the Council for Opportunity in Education and the FirstGen Forward Network.
Naima Brown, vice president of student affairs at Santa Fe College, said, “We are extremely proud that Santa Fe College received the highest tier with $5,000 of support for the First-Generation College Celebration Grant Opportunity. Our leadership event funded by this grant will support and nurture first-gen students who are often underrepresented in higher education.”
A team of staff and students from Santa Fe College will develop a half-day leadership conference scheduled for November 8, 2026. Shanna Ratliff, coordinator of TRIO-Student Support Services STEM, emphasized the significance of the award: “Being awarded this grant reinforces the college’s commitment to support and empower first-generation college students. It is important because it will amplify first-generation voices, celebrate their achievements, and provide tools and connections to help them succeed.”
The upcoming conference aims to provide first-generation students with resources to enhance career readiness and build professional networks. “SF’s First-Generation Student Advisory Group will host a First-Gen Career and Leadership Conference, a new event designed to build career readiness, confidence, and meaningful professional connections for first-gen students,” said Ratliff. She added that the idea was inspired by a similar leadership conference in Miami attended earlier this year by TRIO staff and students, which highlighted the benefits of offering such opportunities locally.
Gloria Picaso, a Santa Fe student who attended the Miami conference, shared her perspective on how such initiatives can impact students’ lives: “As a first-generation student, returning to school after 12 years, being a part of the First-Generation Student Advisory Group, I’ve found both the encouragement I was missing and a renewed drive to achieve something bigger than myself. For much of my journey, I didn’t have support, so finding a community that understands and uplifts me has been empowering. It has also given me the opportunity to give back and help others to feel that same support.”
Picaso explained how attending the Miami event influenced her goals: “When I attended the First-Generation Conference in Miami, I discovered my deeper purpose. When I originally returned to school, my focus was only on finishing quickly and entering a career in the medical field for financial stability. But after hearing an inspiring panelist, Janett Cordoves, I realized that my path needed to be about more than money; it needed to be about meaning, impact, and supporting others.”
She added that participating in these events helped redefine her direction: “Being gifted the opportunity to attend the conference shifted my direction, and what started off as a money driven plan became a search for meaningful impact and gave me clarity about my purpose. This is why I’m excited for the upcoming half-day leadership conference in November. It is needed, not every student has the privilege or resources to attend a week-long conference.”
Picaso concluded: “This is an event that can bring that same inspiration, motivation, and sense of belonging to our campus and community. I hope students walk away feeling empowered, supported, and confident in their ability to lead. Those moments can change lives, just like they changed mine.”
