Olga Salama, a first-year biology major who came to the United States through refugee status, grew up in Burundi, East Africa, where access to affordable health care and education was limited. It’s also where she found her passion and her purpose.

The oldest of eight, she would take her younger siblings to school. One day, as she dropped off the tuition check to pay for their education, she overheard a mother asking whether her child, who had an intellectual disability, could attend classes with the other children.

“She was denied,” said Salama. “She was told, ‘This would be too difficult, and that little child would be too difficult for the other children.’”

“I kind of understood it,” she added, noting that many cultures in Africa lack support for people with disabilities. “But, for me, that didn’t seem right.”

That experience drew her to study biology and fuels her passion for improving the lives of others. Her dream is to graduate from medical school and become a pediatrician.

“When you save the life of a child, you save the future,” she said. “When a child is surrounded by good people, that affects how they grow.”

Salama and her family arrived in the U.S. in July 2021. At the time, she spoke Swahili and French, but no English. She quickly became a rising star at Charlottesville High School, where she received the top scholarship from the . Past recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor and Caroline Kennedy. 

As a high school senior, the first-generation college student applied to nine schools. Each of them could guide her toward her passion. Each of them offered her substantial financial aid packages. But, only one of those schools had values that matched her own, and that was EMU. 

“My high school counselors told me I could go anywhere I wanted, because I had all this scholarship support,” said Salama. “I had to choose where I saw myself thriving and being impacted the most, and EMU was that place for me.”

She said she was struck by how friendly and communicative everyone was at EMU, from her admissions counselor and professors to fellow students. “People are there for you,” she said. “Everyone’s welcoming.”

She added that, out of the nine schools she applied to, only one of them, EMU, sent her a card for her birthday. “That was different, and was beyond my expectations,” Salama said. “That’s the sign of a place that cares.”

Like the 100% of undergraduate students at EMU who receive financial aid, Salama is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President’s Scholarship. 

“I knew I wanted to go to college and, although I had a little bit of fear about the financial part, I trusted that God was going to provide,” said Salama. “If he called me to do this, then he will provide.”

Your support helps students like Olga pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

EMU senior Arelys Martinez Fabian caught the teaching bug in first grade.

The Winchester, Virginia, native would print out math worksheets for her younger sister to complete. With a classroom of stuffed animals gathered around them, she taught her sister, then a preschooler, basic lessons in addition and subtraction.

“I’ve switched my career choices through the years, but I’ve always gone back to teaching,” said Martinez Fabian, an education and Spanish double major. “When you make a connection with students and they realize, Oh, I can do it, that’s my favorite part of teaching.”

A first-generation college student, Martinez Fabian fully immersed herself in EMU’s rich campus life. She served as co-president of the Student Government Association and as orientation leader, worked as product manager for Common Grounds Coffeehouse, and held leadership roles with the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA). She also served as a student representative on the Interim President Search Committee last spring.

It’s difficult for her to imagine herself anywhere other than EMU. That wasn’t always the case.

During her senior year at Millbrook High School, she learned she had been accepted to the University of Virginia. It was her lifelong dream school. The decision should’ve been an easy one.

“At the same time,” she said, “I kept seeing signs that I should attend EMU.”

High school teachers would unexpectedly mention EMU in passing. A coworker at her day care job shared how impactful her own EMU education had been. 

When EMU accepted her and offered its highest academic award, the four-year, full-tuition Yoder/Webb Scholarship, the choice became clear: she would become a Royal.

Looking back, she’s sure she made the right call.

She believes EMU’s nationally accredited teacher education program has prepared her well for the realities of the classroom. As a student teacher at Bluestone Elementary in Harrisonburg, she spent the first week of school last fall observing how teachers set rules and expectations. 

EMU’s small class sizes have allowed her to form close relationships with professors. She said she has always felt comfortable seeking their guidance and support. 

During recent immigration-related crackdowns across the country, Martinez Fabian, who has relatives from Latin America, said professors regularly checked in with her to make sure she felt safe.

“I knew I could go to them for support,” she said. “I was able to get through some tough times because of them.”

Your support helps students like Arelys pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

On Friday, Nov. 7, outside the University Commons, EMU staff members handed out hot cider, fresh doughnuts from Strite’s, and raffled off a colossal 12-inch doughnut. EMU students who identify as first-generation, meaning neither parent nor guardian earned a four-year college degree from a U.S. institution, could pick up free First-Gen T-shirts and keychains. 

The annual , held on and around Nov. 8, brings together hundreds of colleges and universities across the country to recognize the achievements of the first-generation community and raise awareness of the unique challenges first-gen students face. The day commemorates the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson, which created federal financial aid programs to fund students’ educations and made key investments in colleges and universities.

EMU is a member of the FirstGen Forward Network, which recognizes schools that display a demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students. According to EMU’s annual fall census numbers from Sept. 8, 48% of first-year undergraduate students identify as first-generation college students. That figure is a 13% increase from last fall’s numbers.

Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success at EMU and a first-generation college alumna herself, said the celebration aims to elevate the experience of first-gen students. “They’re highly capable, highly driven, super courageous, and don’t necessarily know who to ask for advice or insight,” she said. “We want to remove that stigma about seeking help and show them they’re not alone.” 

EMU’s First Generation Working Group includes Tara Kishbaugh, Jonathan Swartz, Yeimarie Lopez, Trina Nussbaum, Tyler Goss, Luke Litwiller, Dawn Neil, Deanna Reed, Celeste Thomas, and Annalise Livingston.

recently announced ��ݮ���� as one of 80 new members of the FirstGen Forward Network for 2024-25. To be selected as a network member, EMU displayed a demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students.

“We are extremely honored to be selected as a member of the FirstGen Forward Network,” said Shannon Dycus, vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging at EMU. “We know at least 35% of our current undergraduate students are the first in their family to complete college. We have missed wonderful opportunities to celebrate the personal, familial and communal successes in all of these accomplishments. Our hope in defining this community of learners is to be attentive to students and families who do not arrive to campus with existing knowledge of higher education, financial aid and all the other places where jargon and processes create barriers instead of support.”

The FirstGen Forward Network provides a three-phase approach to scaling holistic first-generation student success by engaging and empowering higher education institutions to transform the first-generation student experience, advance academic and co-curricular outcomes, and build more inclusive institutional structures. To date, 429 institutions of higher education, including two statewide systems, have entered the network, representing 49 states and the District of Columbia.

“We are pleased to welcome EMU into the FirstGen Forward Network,” said Dr. Sarah E. Whitley, executive vice president of FirstGen Forward. “Through the application process, it was evident that EMU is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a long-term commitment and employ strategies that foster an environment of success for this important population.”

In this first phase of the network, selected institutions participated in the FirstGen Forward Network Virtual Kick-off on June 6, 2024. As a network member, interested faculty and staff are afforded opportunities to engage with peer institutions also working to create environments that improve the experiences and success of first-generation students, and will participate in monthly calls, professional development, goal setting, blog development, annual reporting, and more.

After successful completion of the Network Member phase, institutions may progress to the second phase, First-gen Forward Network Leader, in which institutions receive an evidence-based and research-supported framework of actionable priorities supported through monthly workshops; diagnostic tools providing critical institutional insight; robust data sharing as part of the national Postsecondary Data Partnership; guidance of expert coaches along each step of the experience; and more. Ultimately, all network institutions strive for national leadership as a FirstGen Forward Network Champion.

“Being named as a network member in the FirstGen Forward Network is an exciting opportunity for EMU to join a dedicated community of professionals prepared to share evidence-based practices and resources, troubleshoot challenges, generate knowledge, and continue to advance the success of first-generation students across the country,” said Maurice Jones, CEO of FirstGen Forward. “We are excited to see a groundswell of activity from the Class of 2024 network members and know EMU will be a significant contributor.”

See the full list of FirstGen Forward Network members .