“Being the first person in my family to go to college is both an honor and a privilege,” said Jessica Espinoza-Flores, a sophomore from San Marcos, California.  She is double majoring in political science and Latin American, Latino and Iberian studies with a double minor in women, gender & sexuality studies and Luso-Brazilian studies.

“I am proud to have the opportunity to attend UR, as it reflects the hard work my family and I have put in to get me here. At the same time, I do feel pressure,” she said.

A mix of pride and apprehension is common among students who are first-generation or come from limited-income families.

“For many first-gens their educational journey is often seen not just as a personal achievement, but as a way to uplift their entire family or community. This additional pressure can be debilitating,” said Lisa Mathews-Ailsworth, associate director for the Student Center for Equity and Inclusion.

Her message to students who are the first in their family to attend college is clear. “If UR accepted you, you are just as deserving to be here as anyone else,” she said.

Ten years ago, former associate director Lisa Miles helped start Spiders First to support students like Espinoza-Flores. “I met a lot of students through my work who were first-gen. They had a lot of questions about the college and career process, and there was nowhere for them to go and get support,” said Miles, who retired last June.

The program has since been renamed Spiders FLI. It offers students who are either first-generation and/or limited-income (thus the basis for the FLI acronym) networking opportunities, leadership experiences, mentorships, and community-building events.

During the recent fall break, while many other students traveled home, the group went on trips to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Ravenchase Escape Room, and King’s Dominion.

As students waited in line for a ride at King’s Dominion, they talked and got to know each other. “Students in FLI appreciate having a community of other students facing similarly lived experiences,” Mathews-Ailsworth said.

Espinoza-Flores is now a student ambassador in the SCEI office and has become part of the support system. “I decided to be a mentor to other FLI students because, just a year ago, I was in their shoes, facing the same questions and doubts,” she said.

FLI is celebrating First-Generation Month in November with a series of events, including a reception, cooking demonstration, career services event, etiquette dinner, and apple picking at Carter's Mountain.