Mission Statement

The Low-Income and First-Gen Committee at Wheaton College aspires to establish Wheaton as a premier destination for talented first-generation* and low-income students* (FGLI) to excel. It is a committee of student, staff, and faculty that seeks to institutionalize resources available to FGLI student and work alongside them to define their space and voice in the community. The Task Force is convened by the Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging.

First-Generation – Self-defined at Wheaton. Students who may fall into this category include those who are the first in their family to go to college, students whose guardians or parents are not familiar with the American higher education system, or students who otherwise identify themselves as first-generation students because they have little to no knowledge about navigating a four-year college experience.

Low-income – Students for whom one or more of the following statement(s) is/are true: Pell-eligible students, students who grew up in low-income households at or below the poverty line, and/or students who have difficulty covering their basic needs expenses, and cannot turn to members of their family and community for help covering these expenses.

Members
  • Marco Barbone, ’09, Senior Associate Director, Alumni Relations
  • Rachelle DeCoste, William and Elsie Prentice Professor, Department Chair, Mathematics
  • Cary Gouldin, Humanities & Student Success Librarian
  • Victor Omoayo, Student Success Advisor
  • Raquel Ramos, Dean, Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning
  • Brian Walmsley, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball

To bring an issue to the attention of the task force, email [email protected].