Being No. 1 is both an honor and a struggle for the almost 25% of Colorado State University undergraduates who will be the first in their families to receive a college degree. 

Not having family who know how to navigate higher education means many first-generation students don’t have the same knowledge as their peers. This can lead to a lack of confidence in their ability to achieve, succeed and thrive in the same environment.

Irving Mendoza Hinojos, president of the First Generation Student Organization on campus, and other members are making sure no one has to face the reality of this identity alone. 

FGSO at CSU is run by and made for first-generation students, and offers three main pillars of support: social, professional and academic. 

The organization hosts various social gatherings for students to attend and form connections. Last semester, the group hosted a “First-Giving,” where members brought food and shared what they each were thankful for. Another event held by FGSO was a Halloween celebration that involved glow-in-the-dark tag on The Oval.

Outside of the celebration and fun, FGSO brings heavy attention to the academic aspects of CSU student life. 

“We are here at the university to ultimately obtain our degree, and we want to make sure that we help each other get there,” Mendoza Hinojos said. 

First-generation students who may not feel comfortable going to their own advisers for information on subjects such as planning semester schedules, discussing different options for majors, and finding resources can use FGSO as a support network.

Mendoza Hinojos said first-generation students may not be a part of environments where professional connections can form. For that reason, he wants to offer more in-depth opportunities.

Members are assisted in finding jobs, workshopping their resumes, practicing public speaking and honing other skills that can be helpful in their future careers.

“It’s very important to know that the seats that we take up in the classroom are ours.” –Irving Mendoza Hinojos, FGSO president

To become a member, one is required to attend two events, one volunteer opportunity and two meetings. However, the organization’s recent induction ceremony, which brought in over 80 new people, seemed to make every second of that worth it.

The ceremony featured an alumnus and a new member who led the induction speech. Afterwards, members were able to network with professionals at CSU and with CSU alumni.

FGSO is a rapidly growing community, as can be seen in the board’s doubled membership numbers in recent months. 

One of those new members is the director of marketing for FGSO, Juan Luis Macias Sanchez.

“It was such an honor to be able to attend (the induction) that everybody dressed up so nicely,” Sanchez said. “I wish I could go back to that moment and experience it all over again.”

Sanchez found the organization through a workshop for public speaking in October 2025 and jumped right into a leadership role. He runs the organization’s Instagram and works to represent all that FGSO offers.

“It’s an open space, regardless of your major or background; we’re open to everything,” Sanchez said. “We all go through our own struggles, and making sure we’re all supporting each other is our main factor.”

Whether they are coming to CSU or going anywhere else, FGSO said it’s important that other first-generation students know that higher-level education is possible. FGSO is constantly planning new ways to meet that goal. One upcoming event is a conference for high school students in April, where they will go through different workshops and be able to experience a university environment first-hand.

Alondra Mendoza Hinojos, the vice-president of FGSO, stated that the slogan of the conference, “Come as you are; leave who you want to be,” resonates with her specifically. 

“I learned throughout my college journey that some things will be very uncomfortable, … like being the only person that may look like you or sound like you in a classroom,” Alondra Mendoza Hinojos said. “But it’s also powerful because that makes you unique.” 

Despite only being a second-year, Alondra Mendoza Hinojos has hope to come back as an alumna herself and see how the group has grown. She said she hopes that events like the induction ceremony and high school conference continue on, leaving a legacy both for herself and for future first-generation students to see.

The organization aims to spread the message that the struggle of being No. 1 is not unseen.

“It’s very important to know that the seats that we take up in the classroom are ours,” Irving Mendoza Hinojos said.

Reach Maiya Kreamer at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.