
First-Generation and Low-Income College Student Support at Wheaton
Nearly 20% of Wheaton students are the first in their families to attend college or come from low-income backgrounds…
… and we’re proud of that! First-gen and low-income students are a strong, independent, and self-reliant community and we believe it’s important to recognize their achievements! Wheaton holds a first-gen student awareness week annually to recognize, support and celebrate this identity with events and programming.
Wheaton dedicates staff and resources to support first-gen students with their individual needs one-on-one…
The Center for Social Justice and Community Impact works with Student and Academic Affairs to develop programming for first-gen students every semester. Additionally, a dedicated AmeriCorps VISTA currently works in the center to develop long-term support structures for first-gen or low-income students to ensure their success at Wheaton.
The Focus on First-Gen program provides events and programs to build the first-gen community and connect students to resources…
In addition to one-on-one academic support and advising, first-gen centered student programming such as networking events, movie viewings, dinners, alumni panels, and performances are all available for students to take advantage of. Additionally, a first-gen early arrival session, Brave, Bold & First, is held in August prior to that start of the academic year to provide students an opportunity to acclimate to campus, develop connections with peers and meet campus resources.
What it Means to Me to be First Generation
First Generation Living and Learning Community
The Brave, Bold & First (BBF) LLC is an intentional residence hall community for first-generation students. It provides leadership development and peer mentoring opportunities for underclass Wheaton students designed to accelerate their personal and academic success. BBF is intended for students who are the first in their family or within their community of support to attend college.
For more information about the LLC, please contact firstgen@wheatoncollege.edu
The First-Generation and Low-Income (FGLI) Task Force
Mission Statement
The Low-Income and First-Gen Task Force at Wheaton College is a committee of faculty and staff from across campus that work together to identify and address the needs of first-generation* and low-income students* (FGLI) on the Wheaton campus. This includes:
- collecting student feedback to evaluate how the institution can best support and advocate for students who identify as FGLI
- creating a community of support and visibility for students who identify as FGLI
- providing relevant resources and programming
- assisting students in defining a space and a voice in the community
- connecting students with the Wheaton community, which includes alumni, the town of Norton, parents/guardians of students, and other individuals proximal to Wheaton.
As part of this charge, the Task Force works to provide student-facing programs such as the Focus on First-Gen Week, and Mid-Year Pit Stop; additionally, we work to support the Brave, Bold & First Early Arrival Program, and Living, Learning Community (LLC), including the Peer Mentor Program, and the First-Generation Student Theme House.
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.
Co Chairs:
Shaya Gregory Poku, Dean of Equity, Social Justice & Community Impact
Meg Kirkpatrick, Associate Provost
Members:
Marco Barbone ’09, Senior Assistant Director, Alumni Relations
Valerie Tobia ’07, Director of Counseling and Health Services
Kyrie Johnson ’14, Assistant Director of Financial Aid Programs
Victoria Rose, Assistant Director of Admission
Wes Boucher, Student Success Advisor
Steven Viveiros, Dean of Advising and Academic Success
Maggie Becker, Associate Director, Career Services
Kimberly Kleszczynski, Area Coordinator, BGWEEKS Quad
Judy Allen, Assistant Director of Athletics for Campus Recreation
Kayla Berrios, Multicultural Program Coordinator
Raquel Ramos, Dean, Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning
Elliott Botelho, Low-Income & First-Gen Student Support VISTA
To bring an issue to the attention of the task force, email botelho_elliott@wheatoncollege.edu.
On-Campus Services
Departmental Resources

Off Campus Resources
First-Generation and Low-Income Student Contact
Elliott Botelho
(They/Them/Their)
508-286-3689
botelho_elliott@wheatoncollege.edu