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January 2025

Welcome back, Trailblazers!

We hope Ithaca winter is treating you kindly. We know that as first-gen, there's a grinding culture to catch up and to get ahead. We encourage you to take a breather. You are always welcome to visit FGLI Student Support at 200 Barnes Hall across Willard Straight Hall and destress in our study lounge. We are open Mondays through Fridays from 9AM - 5PM.

Keep on the look out for our upcoming FGLI Workshops in March through April. We have some exciting topics like How to Invest 101, How to File Taxes 101, a pizza cooking competition at Discovery Kitchen, and more! Make sure you're following our Instagram to see when these educational and fun events drop.

ALSO! We are almost ready to open up applications to hire our student staff for the next academic school year, the Peer Navigators! Make sure to follow our Instagram for the application and for more info. We start at $16+.

The Access Fund for Spring '25 is Now Open!

The Access Fund is a NON-EMERGENCY fund and is intended to provide funding to support low-income students. 100% of the funds are made possible through the generous contributions of our alumni and donors and are available based on donations and student usage. The Spring '25 application closes April 18.

To ensure the Access Fund serves the needs of as many low-income students as possible, we must occasionally institute changes to distribution. This includes, and is not limited to, changing the dollar amount allocated to each student, closing the Access Fund when requests have reached the budgeted capacity, and rejecting requests that do not meet the stated requirements.

Read here to learn more about and how to apply.

Graduating this May 2025? Send Us Your Pictures!

We're hosting our annual Graduation Reception for graduating first-gen trailblazers in May! Make sure to send us your pictures so we can showcase you. These pictures can be selfies, with friends, with families -- we want to see it all and help celebrate YOU! No limit to how many pics you want to submit.

Due: April 18, 2025

More info on the 3rd Annual Graduation Reception to come.

Submit Pics Here

Recap: Stay Toasty, Not Frosty (Spring Kickoff)

We collaborated with the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making to kick off the frosty spring semester with some hot chocolate and hot tea in Willard Straight Hall during the first week of classes! We hope you got to warm up your spirits with some cheer and hot delicious cocoa!

Insider Tips from Our Peer Navigators: Aylin

Have you checked out the OADI Center? They host lunches every Tuesday where you can grab a quick bite and connect with other Cornell members from 12PM - 1PM.

Click here to read more about their Tuesday Lunch Series.

Got an insider tip you would like to submit and have featured in our newsletter?

Submit Here

Visit the Free Food Fridge in Anabel Taylor

Click here to view funding across Cornell

Let's Talk! Drop-In Consulation

Let's Talk is an informal and confidential consultation with our first-gen & low-income liaison Cornell Health counselor, Qiana Watson LCSW.

See a full list of their schedule here

During a Let’s Talk consultation, a CAPS counselor can listen to specific problems, help you explore solutions, and introduce you to what it’s like to speak with a member of our staff. Let’s Talk is not a substitute for counseling and does not constitute mental health treatment. Please refer to our FAQs below for more details.

Free
Offered first-come, first-served (no appointment necessary)
Typically about 20-25 minutes in length
Informal, and not a substitute for counseling
Not appropriate for urgent concerns or mental health emergencies

OPPORTUNITY

2025 HSF Scholar Program

Apply Here

HSF empowers families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional students as possible.

Every year, HSF selects 10,000 outstanding students as HSF Scholars from a broad and talented pool of applicants! HSF Scholars have access to a full range of invaluable Scholar Support Services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training. HSF awards more than $30 million in Scholarships annually and, depending upon available funds, HSF Scholars may also be eligible to receive a scholarship, which range from $500-$5,000 and are awarded directly to students!

Deadline: February 15, 2025, 2:00 PM PT

Eligibility:

Must be of Hispanic heritage
U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA
Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students
Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school, in the U.S., for the 2025-2026 academic year
Submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable)

OPPORTUNITY

OADI Summer Program Mentor (PSSP)

Apply Here

Apply to be a Summer Program Mentor with OADI's PSSP! You'll serve as an overall supportive role model and resource to PSSP scholars throughout the summer program and take an active role in planning weekly events and activities.

Deadline: February 21, 4PM ET

Compensation:

Full-time 8.5-week program; bi-weekly stipend totaling $3100
Room & Board: Single occupancy room in the PSSP residence hall & Cornell dining plan or equivalent for the 8.5-week program
SSE adjustment to be determined.
$40 discount on summer gym membership, if available

Eligibility:

Grade point average of 2.5 or greater required and in good academic standing (as defined by the individual colleges)
Familiarity and comfort with the diversity of cultural backgrounds represented among Pre-Collegiate Summer Scholars Program participants.
Knowledge of academic offerings in the relevant college and campus-wide services.
Strong interpersonal skills & ability to work well in group settings.
Experience utilizing effective learning strategies.
Ability to make a substantial commitment to PSSP students by not having other summer commitments while employed by PSSP.
Experience in program planning.
Knowledge of campus-wide services and Ithaca/Cornell Transit system.

First-Generation & Low-Income Student Support