7 Resources for First-Generation Students at USC

About one in every six USC students—some 3,000 in all—are in the first generation of their family to attend college. It can be tough to adjust to campus life when you’re the academic pioneer in the family, so USC offers resources to help. Here are just a few:

First-Generation College Student Mentor Program
This USC Career Center program pairs students with alumni who were also first-generation students to share career advice.

First-Generation College Student Parent Program
During Welcome Week, parents of first-generation students learn about what’s ahead for their undergraduate.

First-Generation College Student Task Force
USC faculty and staff, including academic advisors and professors, advocate and educate the USC community on first-generation college student issues.

Sophomore Seminar
“Pathways to Career Success for First-Generation College Students,” a 2-unit seminar, connects academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences with potential careers. Enrolled students are eligible for summer internship funding.

Fisher Fellows Program
Financial support granted freshman year helps first-generation USC Dornsife students take research trips with faculty, prepare for graduate school admissions tests and study abroad.

Norman Topping Student Aid Fund
This supplemental scholarship for entering freshmen, transfer and graduate students gives special consideration to first-generation students and those from USC’s surrounding neighborhoods.

First-Generation SCholarships
Scholarships provide support to first-generation students working on summer internships that deliver valuable career experience but are unpaid.