First in Your Family

Often, first-generation students are categorized simply as those who are the first in their family to attend college. This definition is open to interpretation and can leave a lot of unanswered questions. The University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL) abides by the federal government's definition of first-generation students used to determine eligibility for the PELL grant: A student is considered first generation if "neither natural-born or adoptive parents received a bachelor degree or higher."

Being first generation opens the possibility that a student may not have the same cultural capital needed for college success because their parents did not attend college. At UMSL we're striving to close this gap through services, social support and with more resources to come.

Beginning here, you will find a growing directory of first-generation faculty and staff and resources to aid you in building your network for success.

National Celebrate First Gen Day (Nov. 8, 2019)

Check out this recap video to see some of the faces that celebrated UMSL's 3,000 (and growing) first-generation college students with us!

Be a part of building the first-gen resource foundation for students by signing up for the newsletter. Submit your support suggestions to the New Student Programs at newstudentprograms@umsl.edu.

First-Generation Faculty and Staff Directory

Don't see yourself on this Faculty and Staff Directory? Fill out this Google form using your UMSL email account and submit to be added in the future.

Faculty

	Sharon Johnson Dean, School of Social Work
	Colette Dixon Assistant Dean,  College of Nursing
	Birgit Noll Associate Dean Chair of College of Arts & Sciences
	Stephanie Van Stee Assistant Professor,  College of Arts & Sciences, Communication & Media
	Lori Curtis BSW Program Director & Advising Coordinator , School of Social Work
	Kimberly Welch Assistant Professor,  College of Arts & Sciences, English
	Bettina Casad Associate Professor,  College of Arts & Sciences, Psychological Sciences
	Anita Manion Assistant Professor,  College of Arts and Sciences, Political Science
	Pamela Stuerke Associate Professor of Accounting,  College of Business Administration, Accounting
	Erin Whitteck Learning Innovation Specialist and Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemistry,  CTL and Chemistry
	Keith Stine Professor and Chair,  Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
	Ravindra Girivaru Associate Professor, Mathematics

Staff

	Dorian Hall Associate Director of the Millennium Student Center
	Justin Rubin College of Business, Academic Advisor
	Monica Farrell Manager, Undergraduate Business Advising
	ShaQuina White Undergraduate Academic Advisor,  College of Education
	Princess Davis College of Education,  Academic Advisor
	Stacy Pearson Academic Advisor for Graduate Students,  College of Nursing
	Theresa Murphy Business Manager,  College of Optometry
	Lester Stewart Manager, Facilities & Technology,  Millennium Student Center Operations
	Erin Sullivan Coordinator for New Student Programs, Office of New Student Programs
	Tivoli Majors Office Supervisor, School of Social Work
	Maya Scruggs Hicks Assistant Director,  Student Enrichment and Achievement