Centenary University First Generation Students and Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) Honor Society

The Centenary University First Generation Society (CUFG) aspires to recognize and support First-Generation Students by providing strategies and resources to help navigate their college career. We work with students to ensure that have successful personal, professional, academic, and social experiences. Named a top performer for social mobility by US News & World Report in 2023-2024, Centenary is committed to creating a campus that empowers and celebrates those students who are working to change not only their future, but the futures of the generations who follow them.

Community and Belonging

Many times, first generation students work hard to go to college and arrive on campus academically prepared, but with very few ideas about what to expect outside the classroom. As a result, they are less likely to take advantage of social, leadership, travel, internship, and research opportunities. Centenary University First Generation Society meetings offer students a comforting space in which they can share experiences, expectations, frustrations, and best practices with one another. It is a chance to build lifelong relationships with others who are experiencing college from similar backgrounds and perspectives.

First Generation and Multilingual Mentors

Our First-Gen Peer Mentor program allows upper class students to share their experiences with first- and second-year students. Sharing firsthand experiences often prompts new First-Gen students to try something outside their comfort zone.

Students also have the opportunity to work with First Gen and Multilingual students at our local high school, helping them to understand that higher education is obtainable and how to navigate the college application and decision process. We hope to expand the program to send students back to their high schools to talk about their First-Gen experiences.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Workshops

Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha)

Tri Alpha is a national honor society for First-Generation college students and is a nonprofit (501(c)3) chapter-based membership organization located at colleges and universities within the United States. Centenary inducted it first Tri-Alpha members in November of 2023.

Each year, the Tri-Alpha induction ceremony is held in early November in recognition of National First-Generation College Celebration Day on November 8. Interested students, faculty, and staff may contact the CU Tri-Alpha Chapter at any time to be considered for induction. Invitations to join Tri-Alpha will be sent in mid-October.

To become a member, the following criteria must be met:

come from a family where neither parent nor any legal guardians has earned a bachelor’s degree, AND
be a current associate or bachelor’s degree candidate at Centenary University, who is enrolled at least half-time, AND
who has completed at least three 30 credit hours, at least one of which must have been at Centenary University (for transfer students), and who has an overall GPA of at least 3.2 (out of 4.0) in all coursework,

OR

be enrolled in a graduate degree program, having completed at least 9 credit hours towards the degree AND having maintained and have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 (out of 4.0)

Tri-Alpha offers a life-time membership with dues that are $25.00 for students and $40.00 for faculty & staff.