KU to celebrate first-generation Jayhawks at I Am First Too poster unveiling
LAWRENCE — Twelve University of Kansas students, faculty members, staff members and alumni who were the first in their families to attend college will see their faces on the 2026 I Am First Too poster when it is revealed Nov. 9.
The I Am First Too Poster Unveiling Celebration runs from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Kansas Union Ballroom. The Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP), part of the School of Education & Human Sciences, hosts the event. A livestream will be available on Zoom.
Melissa Peterson, acting associate vice chancellor in the Office of Sovereign Partnerships & Indigenous Initiatives, will deliver the keynote address. A Diné educator and first-generation college graduate, Peterson earned her doctorate in educational leadership & policy studies from KU and has advocated for first-generation, Pell-eligible and tribal students since arriving on the Lawrence campus in 2015.
Two former I Am First Too honorees will emcee: Michelle Wilson, a lecturer in the KU Department of Communication Studies, and Emily Costner, an undergraduate in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. After the poster is unveiled, each honoree will be recognized. Refreshments will be served, and guests can stop for photos.
"By highlighting the voices and accomplishments of KU's first-generation students, alumni, faculty and staff, the I Am First Too Poster promotes and increases the visibility of first-generation success," said Ngondi Kamaṱuka, assistant dean in the School of Education & Human Sciences and executive director of CEOP. "Over the past eight years, the posters and their unveiling celebrations have fostered a sense of pride and connection among first-generation Jayhawks. We look forward to celebrating the new 2026 honorees and continuing the tradition for many years to come."
CEOP invites the KU community to join the celebration, especially first-generation students, faculty, staff and alumni and the people who work with and support them.
2026 I Am First Too honorees
Students: Hailee Bonham-DeBolt, Kansas City, Kansas; Ara Melquiades Castellanos, Kansas City, Kansas; and Seth Weeks, Overland Park.
Faculty: Ann Brill, Ph.D.; Jessy Changstrom, Ph.D.; and Angie Hendershot, Ph.D.
Staff: Delilah Begay, B.A.; Jackelyn Cruz-Lopez, B.S.E.; Ashleigh Lee, M.S.J.; and Morgan States, B.S.
Alumni: Jorge Aragon, B.A., and Lizbeth Vidana, B.S.
After the celebration, first-generation KU faculty, staff, students and alumni can head to First-Gen Mocktails & Mingle, a casual networking event from 4:45 to 6:15 p.m. at the Jayhawk Welcome Center, 1266 Oread Ave. KU Alumni and the University Career Center host the event, which pairs students with alumni and professionals for conversations about career paths. Students can register through the KU events calendar, and alumni, faculty and staff can register on the KU Alumni website. Questions about the event can go to Greta Perel.
Learn more about the I Am First Too celebration and the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs.