UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Approximately 25% of Penn State’s undergraduate student population identifies as first-generation, the first in their families to attend college. While University-wide support resources exist, in April 2026 the Penn State College of Health and Human Development (HHD) launched the FirstBridge Initiative to help intentionally connect these students with faculty in the college.
Developed by Niharika Sharma, assistant dean for student enrollment services and diversity, equity and inclusion, the FirstBridge Initiative supports first-generation students by connecting them with first-generation faculty in HHD through meaningful engagement opportunities. The initiative is designed to foster belonging, increase awareness of campus resources and build confidence in navigating college life.
“The HHD FirstBridge Initiative addresses a critical need for programming that connects first-generation students with faculty who were first-generation college graduates,” Sharma said. “These connections provide a unique opportunity for students to engage with role models who understand their challenges and can share strategies for success, hopefully improving retention through engagement outside the classroom.”
The inaugural FirstBridge cohort consists of 39 first-generation HHD students and 12 first-generation HHD faculty members. Makayla Smith, a current student majoring in biobehavioral health and health policy and administration, is one of the students in this cohort.
“As a first-generation student at Penn State, I didn’t know what questions to ask, who to go to for help or what resources existed to support me,” Smith said. “I thought asking for help meant I was not capable enough to be here.”
Becoming a part of HHD FirstBridge has helped Smith be open to accepting support from those around her. Prior to joining FirstBridge, Smith said she felt the need to prove herself and tried to figure everything out on her own. Over time, and with the help of FirstBridge, she realized that independence does not have to mean navigating college in isolation.
Smith said this realization helped shift her mindset around being a first-generation student.
“Being first-generation is not a disadvantage; it is a different starting point,” Smith said. “Each of us in this cohort brings a story of resilience and navigating spaces that weren’t always designed with us in mind. Now, we’re not navigating those spaces alone. We have each other and the FirstBridge program, and an opportunity not only to succeed, but to redefine what success looks like for those who come after us.”
The HHD FirstBridge initiative is supported by funding from the Penn State Equal Opportunity Planning Committee (EOPC) for the spring and summer 2026 pilot launch, and the 2026-27 academic year. The grant from EOPC will help establish FirstBridge as a permanent resource in HHD.
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 academic year, the HHD FirstBridge initiative will offer opportunities for community-building, identity celebration and additional resource awareness, continuing to equip first-generation students with tools for academic and personal success.