In preparation for UC Irvine’s First-Generation Celebration on November 6, 2024, we are excited to highlight some of the incredible ways that first-gen faculty are supporting UC Irvine’s first-gen community. This article is dedicated to first-gen faculty member Angela Lukowski, Associate Professor of Psychological Science, and her plans as the new Faculty Advisor of the UC Irvine First-Generation Faculty Initiative.
To mark the start of the 2024-25 academic year, the UC Irvine First-Generation Faculty Initiative (FGFI) is excited to welcome its new Faculty Advisor Angela Lukowski, Associate Professor of Psychological Science.
Professor Lukowski has been a proud member of the UC Irvine community since Fall of 2008, when she was hired as an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016. In addition to her work as a faculty member, Professor Lukowski has devoted herself to serving UC Irvine’s undergraduate student body in roles such as Vice Chair of Psychological Science, where she worked to set and refine the undergraduate curriculum. She has also served on the UC Irvine Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (CUARS) and is currently a member of the Council on Educational Policy (CEP).
Professor Lukowski holds a B.A. in Psychology (with a minor in French) from Carthage College. She also received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology (with a minor in Neuroscience) from the University of Minnesota. She completed her postdoc at the University of Michigan’s Center for Human Growth and Development.
To celebrate her new role as Faculty Advisor of the FGFI, Kevin Huie, OVPTL Executive Faculty Advisor for Educational Equity and Excellence, invited Professor Lukowski to share her experiences as a first-gen college student, her hopes for the FGFI, and her advice for UC Irvine first-gen students.
Kevin: Welcome Angela! Thank you for sitting down with me and giving me the opportunity to introduce you to our first-gen campus community. Let’s start by talking about your experience as a first-gen undergraduate. What were some of the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Angela: Starting college as a first-gen college student is an intimidating process because of all of the unknowns. I struggled with living away from my parents for the first time; learning how to balance working, studying, and new relationships; knowing which opportunities would be most impactful for future career success; and understanding my financial aid package and the future payments I would have to make. I overcame many of these challenges by working with others. I made my concerns about living away from home known to my family and friends, who worked to support me; I talked with more senior students about how they managed various aspects of college life to learn how to budget my time; and I asked my professors for advice about career-relevant opportunities to get their thoughts on the best path forward. I didn’t really understand the future payments I had to make towards my undergraduate education until I started paying those bills after graduate school. But I wish I would have reached out to the financial aid office earlier to have a better understanding of my repayment plans and options after graduating.
Kevin: When you were a student, did you have a faculty or campus mentor? If so, what impact did they have on your college experience?
Angela: I went to a small liberal arts college as an undergraduate, and I had one faculty mentor in particular who really shaped my experience as a student as well as my career trajectory. She invited me to serve as a peer tutor for one of her classes, and I did that for six semesters. When I decided to pursue graduate school, she helped me craft my personal statement, helped me select programs to apply to, and wrote me a strong letter of recommendation. She has had an immense impact on my life—I still see her for lunch every time I go back to Wisconsin, and I graduated from college over 25 years ago!
Kevin: That’s great; having faculty mentors is really important, especially for first-gen students. Would you say this is why you got involved with the FGFI?
Angela: I applied for the position of Faculty Faculty Advisor of the FGFI when I saw the call for a new faculty advisor. I have served in other roles at UC Irvine that have demonstrated my passion for and commitment to undergraduate issues on this campus, and I was excited to continue to work with faculty to promote the success of first-gen students here at UC Irvine.
Kevin: What do you feel is the purpose and main goals of the FGFI?
Angela: The purpose of the FGFI is to work with faculty to better understand and create opportunities for first-gen student success. To that end, the main goals of the FGFI are to: (1) better understand the challenges experienced by first-gen students and work with faculty to address them, (2) identify the ways in which first-gen students are supported and work to implement those strategies more broadly, and (3) foster strong connections between first-gen faculty and students through various on-campus events. An additional goal is to create connections and pathways for conversation between more junior and senior first-gen faculty.
Kevin: What do you hope to accomplish as the new Faculty Advisor of the FGFI?
Angela: I hope to make headway on achieving the four goals mentioned above. I am excited to work with a faculty committee to identify challenges to success for first-gen students and the ways in which first-gen students are currently supported in different departments and schools. I’m also looking forward to creating events to build relationships between first-gen faculty and students and working to support first-gen junior faculty as they embark on their new careers here at UC Irvine.
Kevin: What are some of the specific things you would like the FGFI to focus on for current first-gen students?
Angela: I am most eager to get started fostering relationships between first-gen faculty and students. I expect that first-gen faculty will be excited to meet with and mentor first-gen students, and students will welcome the opportunity to ask questions and learn from people who were in their shoes as undergrads. We plan to organize at least one event on-campus each quarter with first-gen faculty and students in mind (two are already scheduled for Fall 2024!).
Kevin: What advice would you give to current first-gen students?
Angela: I have so many recommendations for first-gen students! One of my primary recommendations is to reach out to your professors. Come up to the front of the lecture hall to say hello after class, go to office hours, or reach out by email. Although it may seem scary to contact faculty, we are here to help our students succeed, and we want to get to know you!
Another recommendation is to gather information. People love to talk about themselves and their educational and career journeys. Ask senior first-gen students and faculty to reflect on their experiences—the challenges and successes they had, what they wish they would have known or done differently, and what advice they would give current first-gen students. Remember, too, that being a first-gen student can be stressful. Be sure to take care of yourself and your well-being as you work towards your degree, and seek out resources on campus (e.g., the UCI Counseling Center) if needed.
Kevin: These are all great suggestions. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experiences and insights. Just one last question to close this out: Are there any upcoming FGFI events you are looking forward to?
Angela: Thank you for having me, Kevin; I’m glad I could share my story. I am really looking forward to the First Gen: A Memoir book signing event coming up on Wednesday, October 30th from 12:00pm-1:30pm in Merage School Auditorium SB1 Room 1200.
I am also excited about the 2024 UCI First-Gen Day, which will be held the following week on Wednesday, November 6th in the Pacific Ballroom of the Student Center. Everyone is welcome (and encouraged to!) attend both of these events as we work towards building stronger connections between first-gen faculty and students this year at UC Irvine.
Want to learn more about the FGFI and other first-gen programs and resources? Visit the UC Irvine First-Generation website for more information. Looking to get involved with UC Irvine’s first-gen community? Then mark your calendars for UC Irvine’s 7th Annual First-Gen Day Celebration on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!
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