I’m First!

Graphic explaining Macalester's first-generation student celebrations

Join us in Celebrating First-Gen Students!

The below list of Mac faculty and staff either chose to self-identify as first-gen, or want to be supportive of the students in our community who do. Although Mac defines first-gen students as those who would be the first in their family to receive a Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university, we envision this celebration including any college student or graduate who experienced a lack of support or generational knowledge in navigating their own college experience. This might also include being a first-gen master’s or doctoral student. The Im First celebration is co-sponsored by the Community Engagement Center and Lealtad-Suzuki Center for Social Justice.

Thank you to the many faculty and staff who participated!

Faculty & Staff Who Identify as First-Gen

Sedric McClure
Co-Director
Civic Engagement Center

Vittorio Addona
Professor, MSCS

Amin Alhashim
Visiting Assistant Professor
Computer science; usability engineering, teaching-as-research

Elle Brown
Assistant Track and Field Coach

Matt Burgess
Assistant Professor
English

Kyle Flowers
Executive Director
Residential Life

Aisha Gonzales
Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Diversity & Inclusion

Andrew Latham
Professor of Political Science

Alicia Muñoz
Associate Professor and Chair
Spanish & Portuguese

Jerald Dosch
Associate Professor (NTT)
Biology
Environmental Studies

Liz Karlen
Associate Director of STEM Career Advising
Career Exploration

Jackie Walcome
Department Coordinator
Anthropology

Joslenne Peña
Assistant Professor
Computer Science

Katrina Mellin
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Admissions & Aid

Getiria Onsongo
Assistant Professor
MSCS

Ginny Moran
Arts & Humanities and Special Collections Librarian

Katie Kelly
Associate Director of Learning and Development
Residential Life

Carrie Klaphake
Associate Director of Career Advising
Career Exploration

Marcos Cruz
Assistant Director of Career Advising
Career Exploration

Jody Emmings
Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Amy Damon
Professor of Economics

heather c. lou
Assistant Director
Department of Multicultural Life

Joëlle Vitiello
Professor & Chair
French and Francophone Studies

Indra Halvorsone
Department Coordinator
Center for Study Away

Johnny Yang
Residential Hall Director & Sport Performance Coach

Kerri Roesner
Associate Director, Employer Engagement
Career Exploration

Priscilla Perez
Residential Services Manager

Diane Michelfelder
Professor of Philosophy

Ali Swenson
Study Away Data & Finance Specialist
Center for Study Away

Wendy Weber
Senior Lecturer
Political Science

Rosalinda Miguel
Assistant Director of Affinity & Identity Engagement
Alumni Engagement

Tamoanchan Lucero
Asst. Director, Alumni & Parent Engagement
Career Exploration

Jake Nagasawa
CFD Postdoctoral Fellow
American Studies

Tina Kruse
Associate Professor (NTT)
Educational Studies

Gwen Comings
Department Coordinator
Art and Art History

Cali Mellin
Project Manager
Violence Against Women Grant
Laurie Hamre Center for Health & Wellness

Jenae Schmidt
Director of Financial Aid
Admissions & Aid

Sara Menocal
Digital Engagement Manager
Communications & Marketing

Rachel Weeks
Department Coordinator
Civic Engagement Center

The below employees identified as first-gen, but did not submit a photo:

Jaine Strauss
Professor of Psychology

Luyen Phan
Associate Director, ISP

Jeff Rowdon
Academic Information Associate

Laurie Adamson
Director, Office of Student Leadership and Engagement

Trent Russell
Associate Director of Leadership Giving

Kelly Stone
College Chaplain

Amanda Duffy
Student Engagement Program Specialist, Career Exploration

Alina Wong
Vice President for Institutional Equity
Faculty & Staff Who Can Offer Support

Ruth Janisch
Co-Director
Civic Engagement Center

Brian Lozenski
Associate Professor
Educational Studies

Emma Kippley Ogman
Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life

Mia Smith
Employer, Alumni, & Parent Engagement Coordinator
Career Exploration

Marina Ito
Research & Instruction Librarian

Alyssa Adkins
Writing & Study Skills Counselor/Instructor
MAX Center

Carla Zelada
Department Coordinator
History & Classical Mediterranean and Middle East

Abe Woldeslassie
Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Kelly MacGregor
Professor of Geology

Jill Steele
Admissions Visit Assistant

Rivi Handler-Spitz
Associate Professor of Chinese

Lesley Lavery
Associate Professor & Chair
Political Science

The below employees self-selected as being able to offer support to first-gen students in their role at Mac, but did not submit a photo:

Tia Gardner
Faculty Assistant Professor

Cait Bergeon
Faculty Engagement Associate
Civic Engagement Center

Erik Larson
Professor of Sociology

Morgan Sleeper
Assistant Professor
Linguistics

Devyn Smith
Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Success and Development

Elena Tonc
Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology

Paul Overvoorde
Professor of Biology
Vice Provost and Associate Dean of Faculty