is an adjunct professor at ���ϲ�����’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She has conducted research on myriad topics and issues related to the criminal legal system. As the founder of the Center for Community Alternatives, she led efforts to develop alternative-to-incarceration programs and conducted influential research on the impact of criminal history screening in college admissions. She writes:

“The wildcat strike by prison guards spread quickly across the system, leaving incarcerated people without food, medicine and access to their families and loved ones.  Governor Hochul was forced to call in the national guard to take care of the basic necessities. Incarcerated persons have in fact welcomed the guard, finding them to be respectful and polite, with one person calling them ‘sweethearts.’

While working conditions inside prisons need to be improved, they are the pretextual for the walkout.  The strike began on February 17, a mere three days after the guards involved in the beating of Robert Brooks were indicted on murder. Moreover, second only to amnesty, the key demand made by the guards’ union is the suspension of the Halt Solitary Confinement law, action which can only be taken by the state legislature as part of their lawmaking function.”

Lynne Vincent

is an assistant professor of management in ���ϲ�����’s Whitman School of Management with an expertise in labor and industrial relations. She wrote the following:

“This situation is really interesting as the Taylor Law restricts the ability of employees in critical positions such as prison guards to go on strike. The Taylor Law allows public employees to organize the join unions, and it requires public employers to negotiate with unions. It also established procedures for resolving contract disputes. However, the restriction of strikes has been seen as controversial. The penalties for going on strike are steep. 

The prison guards wouldn’t be the first public employee group to go on strike. In 1968, the United Federation of Teachers went on strike as did the Buffalo Teachers Federation in 2000. New York City Transit Authority went on strike in 1980 and 2005. While this is rare, it is not unheard of.”

is a military spouse and research associate at ���ϲ�����’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). She can speak to the impacts on service members and families of the National Guard when instances like this happen. Specifically, she can go into detail about IVMF’s latest research report with Blue Star Families which states approximately 50% of surveyors said the amount of time away from family as a result of military service is a top concern for them, with military pay and impacts of deployment on family being the next top issues ().

All week:

• Sign your graduating class’s first-generation banner at the Intercultural Collective in the Schine Student Center. The banner will be displayed during graduation season. Participants can also get free first-generation stickers.
• A poster display, “Exploring the First-Generation ���ϲ����� Experience,” featuring campus community members, will be on exhibit on the first floor of Bird Library. Learn about the history of the first-generation identity in higher education, the diverse definitions of “first-generation” and inspiring profiles of current first-generation campus members. A library research guide will offer a wide array of books and resources by and for first-generation individuals, covering themes such as cultural education, memoirs, celebrations and wellness.

Monday, Nov. 4

• • A workshop on “Crafting Your Pitch” will be offered by Career Services and the Kessler Scholars Program from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Room 104 of the Tolley Humanities Building. The workshop is tailored to the needs of first-generation students, with a special emphasis on undergraduate students. Participants will discover, practice and leave with branding and elevator pitch techniques to support their career journeys.
  • “,” will be held from 4-6 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library. A diverse panel of faculty, staff, students and alumni will share their unique experiences, challenges and advice in navigating college and the professional environments. The discussion and Q&A session will include how to gather support and resources,

Tuesday, Nov. 5

• The Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS), located on the lower level of Bird Library, will hold an open house from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for first-generation students to explore the variety of individual and group academic support services available.

Wednesday, Nov. 6

• Affinity and networking pop-up space for first-generation students, faculty and staff will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Intercultural Collective office in the Schine Student Center. Meet fellow first-generation peers, share your experiences, sign your class banner and enjoy some light refreshments while building a supportive community.
• “Thriving as a First-Generation Professional: Navigating the Workforce with Confidence,” a trauma-informed workshop designed to empower first-generation college students as they prepare to enter the professional workforce, will be held from 1:30-3 p.m. in 103 Huntington Hall. Participants will explore practical strategies for overcoming challenges unique to first-generation professionals, such as navigating workplace dynamics, developing self-advocacy and managing financial independence.

• A on “Building Your Professional Network” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Learn how to unlock life-changing conversations, mentorships, internships and jobs. Connect with members of the vast Orange community. Open to all undergraduate students, regardless of school/college affiliation.

Thursday, Nov. 7

• An open house will be held in 208 Bowne Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for participants to learn about research, fellowship and other resources and opportunities available for first-generation students with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA), ���ϲ����� Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) and the Lender Center for Social Justice.

Friday, Nov. 8

• A First-Generation Resource Fair will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Jacquet Commons in Huntington Hall. The fair will feature information from  SOURCE, ���ϲ����� Abroad, Blackstone Launchpad, the McNair Scholars Program, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and more.
• A First-Generation Celebration featuring “Living Between Two Worlds” with Tianna Faye Soto will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Jacquet Commons in Huntington Hall. Soto will focus on empowering first-generation students to explore their identities, celebrate intersectionality and highlight the unique strength each person holds.

The National First-Generation College Celebration is celebrated annually on Nov. 8 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The act provides equal opportunity for those from low-income and minority backgrounds. The legislation created grants and loan programs, invested in higher education institutions and started the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) to facilitate the academic success of first-generation college students.

First-Generation College Celebration Week events are made possible by the collaboration and generous contributions of multiple individuals, offices and units on campus that believe in elevating and celebrating our first-generation community of students, faculty and staff.

New Student Programs maintains the for those who self-identify as first-generation college students. The list serves a visual representation of faculty and staff dedication to helping current first-generation college students build their personal success networks and their eagerness to help grow a campus of support. Students are encouraged to connect with faculty and staff members who can share their personal journeys, insight and support throughout this unique student experience.