Eastern Michigan University is taking a stand for first-generation students as future federal funding from the Department of Education to support them remains uncertain.
Approximately one out of three students at EMU is the first in their family to attend college. The college has been building up a support network between students and instructors who are first-generation.
Dr. Anthony Webster is the Director of the TRIO Program at EMU. He says the Trump Administration has considered shutting down programs that help students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed academically.
“This year has been very challenging with uncertainty around our funding because we are a program through the Department of Education, which, under this current administration, was under a lot of scrutiny.”
Webster says EMU plans to expand its support for first-gen students going into 2026. He says he hopes the federal government won’t revisit the topic of defunding programs that support first-generation students.
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