Words truly cannot capture all the love and support shared by 150 first-gen alumni from the classes of 1956 to 2022 and all Yale schools at the recent 1stGenYale alumni conference, “Being the First, But Not the Last,” held on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Yale School of Management’s Edward P. Evans Hall.
President Peter Salovey ’86 PhD kicked the program off by sharing stories of his family and Yale’s initiatives to support first-gen low-income students. Next, Indra Nooyi ’80 MPPM (former chairman and CEO, PepsiCo) and Gina Boswell ’89 MBA (CEO, Bath & Body Works) explored their career paths as first- and second-gen immigrants, respectively, and the challenges they overcame to reach CEO, the highest level of global corporate leadership.
The dinner keynote, Gilbert A. Garcia ’85, CFA (managing partner, Garcia Hamilton & Associates), said how in spite of discrimination he faced as a first-gen Mexican American, he worked hard to succeed in the financial world. While they never forget their past, all our trailblazing keynotes shared that they continue to work toward making life better for the common good in our communities.
Throughout the day, over 65 alumni shared their challenges and opportunities in 16 diverse career panels, including those devoted to specific industries and to topics such as navigating your career and developing life skills balance. Our joint student and alumni program highlighted the power of networking and our 1stGenYale Summer Bulldogs (interns, sponsors, and volunteers), and also included panel discussions.
Closing the day, Lise Chapman ’81 MBA shared, “Working on this big idea since Labor Day, we did not know if it would work, but with a dream, we strived ahead. Michael [Watson ’81], Barb [Protacio ’81], and I are thrilled that first-gen alumni made this conference happen by buying a ticket or making a donation. I am blessed to be part of this movement, but now, we want to hear from each one of you. What can you do for this community at Yale? With Yale, the YAA, and you behind us, we can make this happen. With a shared commitment to social justice, we can have a positive impact at Yale and the larger communities where we live and work.”
Shantel Moses ’97 spoke for many attendees by commenting, “This was my first 1stGenYale event, but it certainly will not be my last.”
Read more quotes from alumni in “1stGenYale: Looking Back to Move Forward,” from Yale Alumni News.
Watch the video about the conference here.
See the complete conference schedule here.
