EIU to Celebrate Grand Opening of First-Gen Hub November 7
Oct-24-2025
Dr. Michael Gillespie, Dean of Student Success at Eastern Illinois University, talks with a group of students on campus. Gillespie, who has been with Eastern Illinois University since 2010, formerly served EIU as Director of the Faculty Development and Innovation Center. He also serves as a Professor of Sociology at EIU.
(Charleston, IL) — Eastern Illinois University will celebrate the grand opening of its new First-Gen Hub on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 1 p.m. The Hub is located in Room 2611 of McAfee Gymnasium and serves as a new home for first-generation students to connect, find resources, and celebrate their achievements.
With more than 51 percent of EIU’s incoming first-year students identifying as first-generation, the First-Gen Hub represents a major step forward in the University’s ongoing commitment to accessibility and student achievement.
“This space represents more than a location—it embodies EIU’s enduring commitment to belonging, access, and student success,” said Michael Gillespie, Dean of Student Success at EIU. “As both first-generation and first-to-graduate college myself, I know the courage it takes to find your footing in a place that sometimes feels like everyone else got the manual.”
The First-Gen Hub aims to provide a welcoming environment for first-generation students to connect with peers, faculty, and staff who share similar experiences.
“The First-Gen Hub is that missing manual—written by and for our students—affirming that they belong here and that their path is worth celebrating,” Gillespie added. “I look forward to celebrating this milestone together, for all our trailblazers at EIU,” Gillespie said. “The First-Gen Hub is both a symbol and a promise—that our students belong, their stories matter, and their success will always be at the heart of what we do.”
EIU was recognized nationally as a member of The Center for First-generation Student Success in 2021-22, an initiative of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation. As a member of the cohort, EIU joined a devoted community of higher education professionals dedicated to sharing evidence-based practices and innovative resources that will continue to advance the success of first-generation students throughout Illinois and across the country.
At that time, the First-gen Forward designation recognized institutions of higher education who have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. Selected institutions received professional development, community-building experiences, and a first look at the Center’s research and resources.
Research by the Education Advisory Board, a best-practice research, technology, and consulting agency based in Washington, D.C., suggests that nearly a third of U.S. undergraduates are first-generation students, meaning they are the first members of their family to attend college. As higher education journalist David Haney points out, these students desire the practicality of safe, affordable, supportive, and community-engaged institutions. And because many of these students are already involved in their local civic and faith communities, their on-campus presence can be responsible for boosting local and regional economies as well.
EIU prepares students to accomplish their life goals through a combination of quality academics, personal relationships, and both on-campus and online learning opportunities. For more information about Eastern Illinois University, including its broad array of academic and career readiness programs, or any of EIU's other community-based services and opportunities, visit eiu.edu or call EIU's public information office at (217) 581-7400.
