Cal State San Bernardino will host its National First-Generation College Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Santos Manuel Student Union South Event Center, Room 106. The celebration honors the achievements, resilience, and contributions of first-generation students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. Students, staff and faculty can register to participate in this event through Coyote Connection.

The program will begin with a welcome at 10:30 a.m., followed by a keynote address at 10:45 a.m. from Lúa López Pérez, a biologist, researcher and herbarium curator in the Department of Biology and the new faculty director of the Office of Community Engaged Learning (OCEL), effective spring 2026. A first-gen panel discussion will take place at 11 a.m., featuring students, alumni, faculty and staff sharing their personal journeys. Lunch and table discussions will follow at noon.

CSUSB’s participation in the national celebration dates back to 2017, when the university joined the Council for Opportunity in Education and First Gen Forward (formerly the Center for First-Generation Student Success) in recognizing Nov. 8 — the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965 — as a day to honor the first-generation community. Since then, the celebration has grown into a weeklong series of events that includes panels, workshops, and storytelling sessions highlighting first-generation voices and experiences.

This year’s celebration will also welcome middle and high school students from CSUSB’s Pre-College Programs — future first-generation scholars beginning their own path toward higher education.