For the Eleventh Year, Alumni Connect with Incoming First-Gen Students

For incoming students, the First-Year Scholars at Yale (FSY) program offers an introduction to campus before the first semester begins. For alumni, it offers something different: a chance to return, reflect on their own Yale experience, and welcome a new generation of Yalies. Both groups share that they are first in their families to go to college and come from low-income backgrounds (FGLI).

One of its signature traditions began in 2016: 1stGenYale's program, Alumni Perspectives: Navigating Yale & Beyond, builds lifelong relationships between students and alumni, starting from the students' first month on campus. Many learned "what and who are alumni?" for the first time. By hearing heartfelt storytelling and shared FGLI experiences from adults who were at Yale before them, incoming students gain confidence, create networks, and discover that they belong here at Yale.

On Saturday, July 25, 55 alumni returned to Yale to meet 93 new Yale College FSY students. Representing 70 Yale class years, 1956-2026, 70% of attendees were from Yale College, 22% G&P schools, and came from 10 states and Mexico City. The numbers show strong alumni support: 22% were attending FSY for the first time, 48% for the second, and 27% for more than five years.

Suzanne Solensky '83, participating for the 8th time, recalled a student's question about how Yale shaped her career that prompted unexpected reflection. "I found myself sharing some of the insights I hadn't thought of before." She added, "I stood next to another alum, who I had never met before, and felt as if we knew each other well. Those authentic connections happen all the time at FSY, and that's why I'll be back again next year."

Event coordinator, Lise Chapman '81 MBA, president of 1stGenYale, shared, "Alumni Perspectives, speaks to alumni in a deeply personal way where they open up their lives, many for the first time, with these new incoming students and alumni as well. Sharing a first-generation low-income background immediately connects us, and relationships begin here for a lifetime. Students know that they are not alone when they meet alumni who have faced similar challenges and built successful lives as Yale alumni."

Lise added, "We are proud of our partnership with FSY and Yale Summer Session, now in our 11th year, where 455 alumni have participated with 886 FSY students in Alumni Perspectives. Reflecting a 2:1 ratio of students to alumni, the conversations began with a simple premise: stories matter."

Many brilliant students question their place at Yale because they lack role models from similar backgrounds," said Dr. Shelly Rivas '06. After sharing her own experiences, she heard from students who felt "seen, heard, and more comfortable at Yale." Those moments, she said, are "crucial to the program's success."

The alumni panel reflected a diverse group of years, backgrounds, and careers with Hung Ho '20; Aly Kayne '94, '97 JD; Dr. Shelly Rivas '06; and Daisha Roberts '22. Moderator, Professor Albert Sergio Laguna, opened the discussion about navigating Yale in four years, creating your own community, developing life outside of academics, finding a campus job and summer internship, and seeking help from academic work to personal issues.

Two former FSY students shared their experiences. Hung Ho '20, "truly enjoyed talking with the students about my experiences navigating college and post-grad life, and I was inspired by their thoughtful questions, genuine curiosity, and willingness to openly share their goals, concerns, and interests. Seeing their excitement and ambition reminded me of my own experiences through Yale."

For Daisha Roberts '22, the discussion revealed how much Yale has changed and how much it stayed the same. Although the panelists represented different generations, "we all experienced Yale at vastly different points in time," she said, "yet still found many commonalities." Meeting the incoming class reminded her of the uncertainty, but also the "hope and excitement," she felt arriving on campus.

As conversations began over lunch and in small groups during the networking session, panel discussion, and later reception in the Yale Science Building, alumni found themselves learning as much as they were teaching.

Carolyn Yao '88 MS, was struck that "students actively sought advice from alumni" about careers and life after Yale. She spoke individually with 20 students, who "asked thoughtful, specific questions." Her advice was simple: stay "open-minded and curious, explore broadly." Looking back, she said she wished a program like this had existed when she was a student, as most of the alumni reflected as well.

Marv Berenblum '56, who has participated in all FSY programs since 2016, noted, "A student found me because he noted that I had been an intensive major in American studies. The program at the time was a trial to see if it would work. He was happy to learn about its derivation, and I was happy to learn that it was still going." They plan to meet again in person.

For Nnenna Ukwu '05, the gathering represented "both a return and a new beginning" as "every question surfaced a memory, a story, a principle that was relevant in my life now as it was to theirs." She "saw myself in their eyes" and they saw in her, "something they are aspiring toward." Then she added, "So often, first-generation people move through spaces feeling like the only one. Our experiences were deeply different, yet together they became everything we had in common."

"One of the unexpected gifts of attending was not simply meeting an impressive group of students—it was experiencing a genuine sense of intellectual awe given these students' curiosity, technological fluency, and global perspective," noted Sam Samdani '84. "Their breadth of knowledge, curiosity, and ability to synthesize ideas across disciplines left me both humbled and inspired. "If my experience last Saturday is any indication, the future is arriving at Yale every fall. Our challenge—and our privilege—is to create the conditions where every generation can help shape it together."

Beyond supporting students during their first year, Alumni Perspectives builds a sustainable pipeline of engaged alumni who are inspired to give back as mentors and help these students succeed, not just at Yale, but also in their lives and future careers. Alumni led a culture of service which students see across generations and Yale schools.

The success of FSY and 1stGenYale's Alumni Perspectives reflect a strong partnership across Yale, led by the First-Year Scholars at Yale Program (FSY), and in collaboration with the Office of Educational Opportunity at the Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning.

Sara Spear, Ph.D., Director of Academic Affairs, Yale Summer Session (YSS), and Director of the First-Year Scholars at Yale (FSY) Program, sees that the event marks the beginning of a relationship that can last a lifetime:

"For incoming first-year students, this is their first exposure to Yale's incredible alumni community, where they get to meet alumni who once stood exactly where they are today. Storytelling is a powerful mentorship tool, and at this event students hear from others who sat in the same classrooms, faced similar challenges, and went on to build successful lives and careers. Meanwhile, alumni get to return to campus to reflect on their experiences and support the next class of students. What makes this event so successful is that we are bringing multiple generations of our first-generation, low-income community together, where both groups leave feeling energized and inspired."

More than a decade after its beginnings, Alumni Perspectives is not just an annual orientation event. It shows that one of Yale's greatest strengths is our alumni community, which continues to welcome, mentor, and learn from one another across generations.

1stGenYale invites alumni to connect with students throughout the academic year. Fall 2026 programs include: