FirstGen Ahead coaches support their students during their junior and senior years of college. Once the student graduates, then what? Has that relationship served its purpose and not be useful in the future or will it continue to be helpful... Read More

“Birds of a feather flock together” is more than a proverb. Research shows individuals tend to befriend others who are similar to them. However, to succeed in a diverse world, developing and building relationships with people who are different from... Read More

Amanda Duffy is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and for the past one-and-a-half years, she has been enthusiastically serving as a FirstGen Ahead coach for a student who dreams of becoming... Read More

Jonathan Blazek is an astrophysicist, an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University, and a FirstGen Ahead coach for a college junior who has similar interests in physics and astronomy. Jonathan was interested in physics at an early age. He was heavily... Read More

What do you do if someone complains? Generally, people complain when there’s a gap between their expectations and reality. Perhaps it’s a classmate you’re working with on a team project, your roommate, or a family member who is complaining. If... Read More

Over the past three decades, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld has not only taught graduate students about industrial relations, engineering systems, human resources, operations, and strategy, but he has mentored hundreds of students along the way. He is a professor at the Heller... Read More

By Carolyn Brandes, FirstGen Ahead Coach We coach our students to apply for multiple internships and jobs to increase the likelihood of getting several offers that lead to a great first job. While it is difficult to predict what the... Read More

Education and mentorship have played foundational roles in Viola Morse’s life and career trajectory. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was a child to rejoin family that had been disrupted due to World War II. Viola and her... Read More

Shanicka Burdine is the Assistant Director for Illinois Promise, a college access and success program at her alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also a first-year coach with FirstGen Ahead. Mentorship and student support have been... Read More

Lois Benishek is a Master Coach with FirstGen Ahead. In this role, she facilitates monthly discussions with FirstGen Ahead’s volunteer coaches and provides sage advice. She is guided by her professional training in multicultural counseling and as a counseling psychologist,... Read More