First gen community builds a trailblazing legacy at USF Sarasota-Manatee

When Ruby Suarez arrives on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus after her one hour and 17-minute commute from Arcadia, she carries more than a backpack. She carries the hopes of her family, the sacrifices of generations before her and the determination that defines so many first-generation college students. 

A senior psychology major and member of the Judy Genshaft Honors College, Suarez represents thousands of Bulls forging new paths as the first in their families to pursue a four-year degree. Her story echoes across campus and the region as first-gen students reshape what higher education looks like, who it includes and what becomes possible because of it. 

At USF, “first generation” signifies more than a demographic label. It represents a growing community of students whose parents or guardians did not complete a bachelor’s degree in the United States during traditional college-going years. Some are identified through application data; others discover the identity later, often after realizing they belong to a larger, resilient group of learners. 

These students bring the pride of their families, the weight of their sacrifices and the hopes of future generations. They also bring extraordinary drive. With the first-gen population growing locally and nationally, USF Sarasota-Manatee is expanding support systems that help students turn ambition into academic success, timely graduation and promising careers. 

Ruby’s path: a family dream carried forward

Suarez’s journey began in seventh grade when a career assessment pointed her toward psychology and social work, fields that matched her passion for mental health. Her parents, small business owners, never had the chance to attend college, but they instilled in her the belief that education builds character, confidence and opportunity. 

“They’re always on board,” she said. “My mom packs homemade meals that last me all day. My dad drops me off and picks me up late at night.” 

On campus, Suarez does more than excel academically, she leads. As a student government senator and the inaugural vice president of the Mu Sigma chapter of Tri Alpha, the national honor society for first-generation students, she is helping build the support network she once needed. She welcomes new members, organizes induction ceremonies and ensures no first-gen student feels alone. 

“I want to make sure students have the support to keep going instead of giving up because they felt lost,” she said. 

More than 4,000 first-generation undergraduate students call USF home, about 22% of the university’s undergraduate population. Many are commuters, transfer students, working adults, heads of household or veterans returning to school later in life. Their determination is unmistakable, and their impact reaches beyond the classroom. 

At USF Sarasota-Manatee, they find a campus designed for every type of learner. Small class sizes, approachable faculty and a culture of one-on-one support define the student experience. The campus also hosts a growing network of First Gen Champions, staff and faculty who identify as first gen or who are committed to supporting first-gen success. 

Support comes in many forms: a professor who stays after class, an advisor who walks a student through their first FAFSA, a staff member who recognizes a struggling student and checks in. Those small, consistent moments shape the campus experience. 

Voices of leadership: staff who have walked the first gen path 

---

hANNAH Pogue: Creating the support she once needed 

Hannah Pogue remembers the uncertainty she felt as a first-gen student. After starting college in 2010 and stepping away for several years, she returned to finish her degree at USF Sarasota-Manatee, where she found belonging and purpose.

“I was worried I wouldn’t fit in,” she said. “But small classes and close connections made me feel seen.” 

After graduating in 2021, Pogue returned to USF as a New Student Connections coordinator, where she launched First Gen Stories, a storytelling initiative that now anchors First Gen Celebration Week. Today, as a communications and marketing officer and graduate student in digital journalism, she continues amplifying first-gen voices across all USF campuses.

“When students see themselves in our stories, they feel like they belong,” she said. 

---

Taylor Turner: Building first gen identity across the university 

As an academic advisor for biology and pre-professional sciences, Taylor Turner has helped shape first gen programming for years. A first-gen student from Englewood, she experienced firsthand the transformative power of mentorship.

Turner helped launch USF’s first-ever First Gen Day, a simple tabling event that sparked pride among students, many of whom realized for the first time that they qualified as first gen. 

“Students started saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize I was first gen,’” she said. 

From that spark, a tradition grew. First Gen Week is now celebrated across the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses, offering workshops, panels, community events and the now-iconic “Proud to Be First” T-shirts. 

“They have so much more on the line,” Turner said. “Their success opens doors for their families that didn’t exist before.”

---

Carlos Moreira: Veteran, mentor and advocate 

For Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos Moreira, his first gen journey is intertwined with service and family sacrifice. Encouraged by his mother to pursue education even while on active duty, he began taking classes before transitioning to USF Sarasota-Manatee, where he later earned two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s.

As the director of campus engagement for Veteran Success and Alumni Affairs, Moreira often brings support directly to students. 
“Sometimes they don’t have time to come find me,” he said. “So, I go to them. If we can minimize their stress, we’ve done our job.” 

He now champions scholarships, partnerships and events that foster belonging for first gen and veteran students alike. 

---

For Suarez, the journey is personal. During her first year, she learned that her mother once dreamed of studying psychology, too. 

“She told me she sees herself in me,” Suarez said. “So now I share what I’m learning with her. It feels like I’m giving her the experience she couldn’t have.” 

Across USF, first gen students like Suarez are supported by staff and champions including Darren L. Gambrell who are redefining what’s possible for future generations.

"It’s all about just making that path just a little smoother, a little less bumpy for those individuals and preventing them from making some of the mistakes I made," Gambrell said.

In fact, USF is strengthening its long-term commitment to first generation student success, guided by its national recognition as a First Gen Forward Network Member, a designation that affirms the university’s ongoing investment in developing evidence based programs, research driven practices, and collaborative strategies that improve their experiences and outcomes. 

To lead the charge, USF expanded the role of the Office of Undergraduate Studies, to include First Gen initiatives offering community, tailored guidance, and programming designed to help these students thrive academically and personally. 

USF Foundation maintains the USF Proud to Be a First Generation Student Support Fund (Fund #590116), which provides crucial financial resources that can help students access opportunities, reduce hardship, and stay on track toward graduation. Together, these efforts reflect a university with three unique campus offerings that not only acknowledge our expanding first gen community but actively shape a more intentionally supportive environment where first generation Bulls are equipped to succeed, lead, and set new paths for future generations. 

“With continued community support, USF can expand mentorship, scholarships, programming and spaces that uplift first gen students in meaningful ways,” Suarez said. 

Or, as she puts it:

“I see this as honoring my family name. We’re all first, but we’re carrying their efforts to show what’s possible. Our success is generational — and it’s only the beginning.”