To support the first-generation students on KU’s campus, the University is bringing Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri-Alpha, to KU where students can join this community.

Emily Sutter | @EmilySutterTV

Hawk Link, the University’s student community aid office, has been driving the implementation of the new organization.

Tri-Alpha is a merit-based honor society that welcomes first generation college students. Members in Tri-Alpha at KU must have a 3.2 GPA and above. The organization at KU typically welcomes sophomores through seniors in their undergraduate years, yet staff members and alumni can also be inducted into Tri-Alpha. 

“We serve our first-gen students as much as we can in our office,” Melissa Peterson, director of Hawk Link at KU, said. “I think we have over 5,000 first-gen students that are undergraduate and graduate, so that’s where we spend some of our resources and time, and that’s what led us to the Tri-Alpha Honor Society.” 

The organization inducted 148 students this week and is looking to expand memberships to other staff and alumni within the next year.

Non-student members can serve as mentors and points of reference that Tri-Alphas can go to, and the organization will also positively help members with resources to push them academically.

“With Tri-Alpha, being that all of them are first-gen students and they all come from different ranges of majors, backgrounds, and with how they’ve grown up, they can always bring something to the table. It’s never that you’re not contributing–you’re always contributing,” Delilah Begay, a senior and Tri-Alpha member, said.

As a part of National First-Generation College Celebration Week, Hawk Link is having events to celebrate all first generation students, such as the First Gen Relax and Recharge event at Sabatini Mulitcultural Resource Center, the I am First-Gen, and I Am KU gathering at the Kansas Memorial Union, and the National First-Gen Student Celebration in the Ascher Plaza.