By
Byron Augustin, D.A.
Gary Beall, Ph.D.
Steven A. Beebe, Ph.D
William Brittain, Ph.D.
David R. Butler, Ph.D.
Nancy Chavkin, Ph.D.
Ian Davidson, D.M.A.
Frank de la Teja, Ph.D.
Dennis J. Dunn, Ph.D.
Michael Forstner, Ph.D.
Dittmar Hahn, Ph.D.
Robert Mclean, Ph.D.
Donald Olson, Ph.D.
Max Warshauer, Ph.D.
Texas State University has a large number of students who are first-generation college students. According to our university’s website (https://www.ucollege.txstate.edu/first-gen-proud/ ), a “ first-generation student is someone whose parents/guardians did not complete a four-year college degree or a student raised by a single parent/guardian who did not complete a four-year college degree.” In fact, 46% of incoming Bobcat students identify as “First-Gen.”
It may surprise you to learn many professors, including several Texas State Regents’ Professors, were either first-generation students or are first-generation professors.
The System’s highest faculty honor, the Regents’ Professor Award, is conferred upon professors who demonstrate excellence and exemplary achievement in the areas of teaching, research, publication and service.
The Texas State Regents’ Professors strongly support first-generation students, and heartily endorse the activities of the forthcoming National First Generation Day on Nov. 8, 2019, as well as the week-long activities leading up to that day sponsored by the campus advisory group “F1rst Gen Proud.”
Several Texas State Regents’ Professors will participate at the Arch on Friday, Nov. 8, at 11:15 a.m. with remarks in support of first-generation students and F1rst Gen Proud.
We encourage the entire university community to support the week-long activities of F1rst Gen Proud leading up to National First Generation Day. We hope you will go to the webpage https://www.ucollege.txstate.edu/first-gen-proud/First-Gen-Week.html to learn about all the great activities going on during the week. The Regents’ Professors hope to see you at The Arch Nov. 8th!
To learn more about Regents’ Professors, please visit https://www.tsus.edu/foundation/regents-awards/regents-professor.html.
Each year, the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System honors professors whose performance and contributions to the educational community have been exemplary. Many of the professors who signed on to this letter to the editor are first-generation students themselves.