Cardinal First holds 2024 Alumni Academy

North Central Cardinal First continues to build on its reputation for its first-generation programming and student success with its 2024 Alumni Academy. The event helped celebrate 10 years since Cardinal First was founded.

On Friday, March 1 in Wentz Science Center, Cardinal First welcomed 142 first-gen undergraduate and five graduate students to network with and learn from 75 first-gen alumni serving as panelists, presenters, and mentors who are living examples of first-gen success.

Here are some facts about the event and its attendees:

-Of the 75 alumni attending, their graduation years ranged from 1980 to 2023.

-Three of the alumni serving as presenters graduated before Cardinal First launched and are alumni of Teach First, North Central's initial first-generation student program.

-At least four of the alumni attending took part in the very first Cardinal First Pinning Ceremony in June 2016.

-The event was funded by an estate gift from two first-gen alumni from the Class of 1952, Marilyn & Elmer Sundby.

-Four sibling combinations were in attendance at the Alumni Academy;

• Alumni Lauren Edmunds '17 and Taylor Edmunds '20
• Alumni Kristen Kaczmarek '06/M '18 and Jaclyn Kaczmarek '11
• Alumnus Francis Espedido '21 and first-year student Jhanlo Espedido '27
• Alumnus Eric Knaperek '16 and sophomore Alex Knaperek '25

-The photographer for the event was Cardinal First alumna Kirsten Kleman '17/ M' 20 Wantland. She was one of the first student leaders of the Cardinal First Transition program, launched in 2016-2017 for new first-gen transfer students.

-In August 2015, the Cardinal First cohort model launched with a then-$500 scholarship; five alumni attendees were in that first cohort of scholars.

The inaugural Cardinal First Alumni Academy was held in March 2022. Julie Carballo, assistant dean of students for first-generation and military-affiliated initiatives, says she hopes this will continue to be a biennial event.

View photos from the Alumni Academy.