First-Gen Champions Institute

Register Now! 

Friday, November 18 - Saturday, November 19, 2022

As part of First-Gen Week, Texas Tech faculty and staff, and educators from across the nation, are invited to participate in the First-Gen Champions Institute.

The First-Gen Champions Institute seeks to bring together individuals that are committed to fostering a space for learning and understanding as it relates to college access, completion, and success for first-generation students. The Institute will allow first-gen champions to share in a discussion on what it truly means to champion First-Gen success and how to put those ideas into practice.

Questions?

Start by visiting our FAQ Page or reach out to Brandon1.Cruz@ttu.edu 

Agenda

Access In-Person Schedule Here

Access Virtual Schedule Here

Access Session Abstracts Here

Located in the various rooms in the Student Union Building (SUB) with virtual components as well

Meet our Plenary Speaker

Dr. T. Mark Mongtoya

Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Success and Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northern Arizona University (NAU)

T. Mark Montoya, PhD is the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Success and Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northern Arizona University (NAU). This year he will also be serving as a Provost's Leadership Fellow (2022-2023). A first-generation college student, Montoya attended New Mexico State University (NMSU), where he received a BA in History and a MA in Government. He moved to Arizona to pursue a PhD in Political Science at NAU, which he completed with Distinction in 2009. Montoya's scholarship centers broadly on the US-Mexico borderlands, borderlands pedagogy, citizenship, Ethnic Studies, Latinx Studies, DACA, Hip Hop, and first-generation student experiences. At NAU, Montoya is most involved with the First-generation Learning Community, the Teaching Academy, and the Commission on Ethnic Diversity. He also serves as President of the Association for Borderlands Studies, chair of the Northern Arizona Dream Fund, and is on the editorial board for the Journal of First-generation Student Success. His awards include the NAU President's Distinguished Teaching Fellow (2022-2026 term), the “Government Department Star” of the College of Arts and Sciences at NMSU (2020), the Victoria Foundation's Outstanding Latinx Faculty Service/Teaching in Arizona Higher Education Award (2019), NAU Commencement Speaker for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (2016), NAU College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Teacher of the Year (2015), NAU Outstanding Advocate Award for First-Generation College Students (2013), and the NAU President's Award for Ethnic Diversity (2012). He is most grateful for his partner Katy and their dog Maya.