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LAWRENCE – The Achievement & Assessment Institute’s Center for Educational Opportunity Programs is hosting its sixth annual I Am First Too memorial poster unveiling to honor members of the University of Kansas community who have distinguished themselves as role models and advocates for the success of first-generation students.

This year’s honorees include Barbara Bichelmeyer, KU Provost and Deputy Chancellor. Other award winners:

• KU faculty and staff Hong Chuong, associate director at AAI; Alex Hernández-Castro, associate director of TRIO SES & STEM, and Laura Ramirez, associate professor of the practice of social welfare.
• KU students Sonali Bhakta, David Coria, Paige Freeman, Ella Hinson, Laura Malagon-Palacios and Kelly Kaye Young.
• KU alumni Michael Chavez and Sara Chavez.

The poster unveiling event, scheduled for November 4 at 3 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom, will be led by the TRIO SES & STEM office, which provides support for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.

“As a first-generation college student and refugee from Namibia who has benefited from educational opportunities, I look forward to the impressive I Am First Too commemorative poster class of 2024,” said Ngondi Kamatuka, CEOP Director. “I hope that CEOP can continue to advance these projects and serve as a conduit through which first-generation students can succeed in their educational journey.”

Hernandez-Castro, associate director of TRIO SES & STEM, has worked with CEOP programs for over a decade. Hernandez-Castro was a first-generation student at KU and is one of the poster award winners. Her parents were immigrants and did not have the experience to help her pursue higher education. She said she owes much of her success to her time as a student at CEOP and access to the support system it offers.

“I really enjoy helping other students like me and helping them succeed because college was pretty hard for me,” Hernandez-Castro said. “I had no instructions. I knew nothing about TRIO or counseling or even FAFSA. So it was a great experience to be part of other students’ journeys.”

Hernandez-Castro said she was thrilled with the poster selection this year.

“I think that makes it an even greater honor to be on the same poster as the principal and I think that this will give a lot of visibility to the event and especially to people in the community,” she said.

Bichelmeyer was the youngest of ten siblings and the only one who attended KU. Bichelmeyer said she came to college unaware of the support and resources available. She was able to learn from observing her fellow students as well as faculty and staff who wanted to help her navigate the university and support her success. For this reason, Bichelmeyer said, the best thing first-generation students can do is be curious.

“Ask questions. “No undergraduate student, especially a freshman, really knows how this place works and can navigate without help,” she said. “Even if they are not a first-generation student or their parents are faculty here, everyone’s experience is different, and everyone has their own unique story that brings them to this institution.”

In this short video, Barbara Bichelmeyer talks about her own experiences as a first-generation student, offers insights and tips for current first-generation students, and much more.

While first-generation students may not receive the same type or level of support as other students, Bichelmeyer believes they have the characteristics and drive to succeed and persevere.

“Above all, first-generation students bring with them the attitude and understanding that it’s not just a diploma that matters. It depends on what happens to you. It is the process of learning and the innate desire to take advantage of a place and people and develop an opportunity to discover and see how big the world really is,” Bichelmeyer said.

Bhakta is one of the first-generation students honored in this year’s poster who embodies this innate desire to learn. Bhakta is a student in the KU School of Business and is actively involved in several first-generation organizations at KU, including the Multicultural Business Scholars Program, TRIO and Forte. Her nominator wrote: “(Bhakta) recognizes the importance of providing her fellow students with a supportive environment in which to seek help and guidance, thereby helping to alleviate fears and insecurities,” and that “ “She has a desire to give back by offering her academic knowledge and expertise.” shows how she advocates and mentors other first-generation students in the TRIO program.”

“Being first generation, I have a great opportunity to pursue my passions, especially with the support of KU. The resources here allow me to be successful and make the most of my journey,” said Bhakta. “I am grateful for the opportunity to pave the way not only for myself, but for our entire community and future generations.”

Ramirez, director of strategic initiatives and associate professor of practice at KU’s School of Social Welfare, is a first-generation faculty member in the poster. She said this poster is about more than just honoring advocates. It’s about people like her being proudly visible on campus.

“Being first generation means carrying the burden of representation – be it representing my family, my communities, or larger marginalized groups in spaces where people like us are often underrepresented. This comes with a sense of pride and has given me the strength to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers for those who have followed me,” said Ramirez. “In social work, this awareness of identity and representation informs my practice and helps me share tools that empower students and communities from similar backgrounds to overcome challenges and affirm their own identities.”

In addition to recognizing first-generation students and raising awareness, the “I Am First Too” poster also serves to remind first-generation students that KU staff and faculty are here to affirm and address their issues to support their journey, regardless of their background.

“Learning is hard, and you have to fail a little bit before you can succeed, and that’s okay because learning is supposed to be uncomfortable,” Bichelmeyer said. “If you don’t feel uncomfortable, you’re not learning. Even though it may not be easy, we are here to support you, we are here to answer questions for you, we are here to advocate for you, and we are here to let you know that we are with you believe, and you should believe in yourself.”

Nominations for the 2025 Poster will open during the event on November 4th and close on February 21st, 2025.