Tell Me Your Story

If you are a first-gen LAS undergraduate or graduate student who is ready to join the conversation, we invite you to share your first-gen story with First-at-LAS.

Step 1: Begin by building your story using the reflection questions below:

• What makes you proud of your first-generation journey?
• What are your goals as a UIC-LAS student, and how do they relate to your first-generation journey?
• What would you like others to know about your first-generation college experience?
• What advice would you give to other first-generation students?

Step 2: Then select how you would like to share your story:

1. Be featured on the website: All students who share stories will be featured on the First-at-LAS website with our community of storytellers. We will include a section from your essay and a photo to help inspire the next generation of LAS student leaders.
2. Participate in the Annual Spring Essay Contest: UNDERGRADUATE students may also select to enter their stories into the Annual Spring Tell Me Your Story Essay Contest. Essays will be reviewed separately by a committee and three finalists will be selected. Finalists will receive UIC Bookstore gift cards and are invited to a celebration in the Fall semester (TBD). Essay minimum is 550 words. Fall 2025 deadline will be announced soon.

When you are ready, submit your story with our online form and tell us how you would like to share it!