Our Mission
We are Yale alumni who come from diverse backgrounds, including being among the first in our families to graduate from college or graduate school and/or being from underserved backgrounds.
We connect with each other to share our stories and have a positive impact on the lives of Yale students and alumni.
Our History
Hearing concerns by students who felt a lack of belonging at Yale, several alumni who had similar experiences and others who wanted to help came together to provide support. Initiated as a pilot in April 2016, 1stGenYale is a dynamic alumni volunteer-led YAA SIG and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is a community within a community of Yale alumni who:
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Are among the first in their families to attend college or graduate school
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Come from underserved backgrounds
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Want to make a difference and share our experiences
As alumni from all schools, we come together as a Yale family. By sharing our stories, we connect with each other and support students to help them navigate and take advantage of all of Yale’s resources, including us, its alumni. We are proud to be the first alumni volunteer-led support group for both First Generation Low Income (FGLI) students and alumni of any major university in the US.
“I can't even begin to explain the feeling of being in a room at a place like Yale where, for the first time in my life, first-gen people were the majority.”
–Being the First, But Not the Last 1stGenYale Alumni Conference alum, 2023
