First Generation Vikings Receive Campus Compact Award

April 27, 2023

Grand View's First-Generation Vikings are the recipient of a 2023 Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Award. The network of colleges and universities are invited annually to recognize outstanding work in civic and community engagement through the Presidents’ Awards and Community Engagement Awards.

The First-Generation Vikings were nominatedto be the 2023 recipient of the Presidents’ Civic Engagement Leadership Award. The following information was included with the nomination:

The purpose of the First-Generation Vikings organization is to give first-generation college students a sense of belonging, self-efficacy, capacity for social change and civic engagement, an opportunity for peer mentoring, support in their degree, and vocational skills, all for the goal of retention and graduation. The organization offers tools to first-generation college students to learn how to navigate college and beyond.  This past fall 42% of GV's incoming class was first-generation. This spring the organization partnered with Des Moines Public Schools and presented at East High, Moore and Findley Elementary schools.  They focused on considering higher education after k-12 and discussed a variety of transition issues.

Photo from left to right:  Gage Ritz, Mia Schumann, Makenna Adkins, Trent Sivola and Ella Joe. These five students lead the First Generation Vikings Club as part of their AmeriCorps positions. Congratulations!