Meet The First Gen Summit
Planning Committee
First Gen Summit Co-Coordinator Elizabeth Rodericks
Elizabeth grew up in a working-class family and is a first-generation Psychology B.S. senior at Bridgewater State University. Her own struggle to understand college resources spurred her to support other students' experiences through tutoring and peer advising, as well as working on the executive board of first-gen and women's leadership-focused student organizations. She aims to go into Student Affairs to continue providing information and wisdom to underrepresented students.
First Gen Summit Co-Coordinator Adj Marshall
Adj was the first person in her family to attend and graduate from college, earning her B.A. while supporting her brothers’ pursuits of their associate degrees. Her experience growing up as a member of a chronically poor, and often homeless, single-parent family has contributed immensely to her work as a JEDI trainer and advocate for educational socioeconomic justice. Adj founded the First Gen Summit in 2012 and holds an M.A. from Brown University in Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage.
Fundraising Committee Mendrick Banzuela
Mendrick Banzuela was a first-generation student that recently graduated from Worcester State University with a major in Sociology and concentration in Ethnic Studies. With his degree, he wants to support the upcoming generations of students in any way that he can. Currently, Mendrick works as the Scholar Development Specialist at the Bruce Wells Scholars Upward Bound program where he gives college ready prep to high school students in Worcester.
Fundraising Committee Casey Jo Dufresne
Casey Jo is the first person in her family to complete high school, and later college. Her experiences influenced much of her work and research which centers educational access and equity. Currently Casey Jo is the Program Director for the Meiklejohn Fellowship Program at Amherst College. In her role she aims to center students who identify as first-generation and/or lower-income (including international, undocumented/DACA, and transfer students) particularly as it relates to post-graduation planning. Outside of work you are likely to find her walking with her dogs, getting lost in the woods, and chasing storms.
Workshop/Technology Committee Alex Sheehan
Alex is the first in her family to attend college. Currently, she's a sophomore at Salem State University pursuing a B.S. in Economics with a minor in Math. Additionally, she's a part of the Salem State Softball team and a peer mentor at the Student Engagement and Transition Program (STEP) at Salem State.
Workshop/Technology Committee Jocelyn Salcedo
Jocelyn was the first in her family to attend and graduate from college. She graduated from Bennington College in 2018 with a B.A. in Social Psychology and Anthropology. At Bennington, Jocelyn co-founded the FLoW student group to provide first-generation, low-income, and working-class students a range of support and community-building activities after attending Class Action's 2016 First Gen Summit. As a Career Counselor at Bennington, she helps other FLoW students secure meaningful professional experiences and career development opportunities.
Workshop/Technology Committee Lesley Martinez Garcia
Lesley is a first generation, low-income (FLI) college student. She is a senior at Amherst College who is pursuing a B.A. in Sociology. She has led the QuestBridge chapter at her college and is passionate about advocating for FLI students in higher education. After experiencing the educational inequities firsthand and working with FLI students throughout her college career, she wants to continue this work by becoming a college administrator.
Workshop/Technology Committee Keliana Doyle
Keliana is a senior at Salem State University studying Criminal Justice and minoring in Psychology and Spanish. She is the first of her family to attend college and joined the Student Transition and Engagement Program (STEP) at Salem State as a first-year student. She is now a mentor to first-gen college students through the STEP Program and serves as a Resident Assistant on campus.
Workshop/Technology Committee Helen R. Fleming
Helen is a first gen college graduate currently pursuing doctoral work in Higher Education Leadership at Oregon State University, as well as an Instructor and Academic Advisor for Sociology. Prior to her 19 years in higher education as both an instructor and academic advisor, she served in the US Coast Guard.
Marketing Committee Zainab Abd Alkaby
Hello, my name is Zainab Abd Alkaby, I am a junior at Salem State University and I am a part of the marketing subcommittee. Being a first-gen student is honestly one of the biggest obstacles in life and once it’s over with, it will be the biggest accomplishment in life. I am so glad I have the opportunity to share my experiences with people who share similar experiences and obstacles.
Marketing Committee Mari Robles
Mari is a senior at Vassar College majoring in International Studies and German Studies. She is a Cultural Vistas German Fellowship recipient and alumni of Columbia University's Berlin Consortium for Germanic Studies. At Vassar, she conducts qualitative research on how the College can best advocate for first-gen, low-income, and undocumented students. Currently, she is writing her thesis on the descendants of Turkish guest-workers in Germany and is applying to fellowships abroad. She is excited to be part of the First Gen Summit and hopes to encourage other first-gen, low-income students to pursue opportunities abroad.