The FDU Center for First-Generation Scholars
Empowering first-generation scholars to achieve their educational goals and realize their potential.
The FDU Center for First-Generation Scholars empowers first-generation students to unlock their full potential through tailored support, mentorship, and resources. The Center fosters a community of resilience, ambition, and academic excellence, to help students navigate their journey in higher education and beyond.
- Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where first-generation students feel valued, supported, and connected.
- Providing resources and services that address first-generation students’ unique needs and challenges, including academic support, financial literacy, career guidance, and personal development.
- Promoting awareness and understanding of the first-generation student experience among faculty, staff, and peers.
- Fostering a sense of belonging and community among first-generation students through networking opportunities, mentorship programs, and social events.
- Advocating for policies and practices that enhance the success and well-being of first-generation students.
The Center’s Founding Director
Eleni P. Mylonas EdD
Dr. Mylonas is a first-generation immigrant and FDU alumna; she received her MA in TESL/TEFL and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration. She is a lecturer for the Foundational Writing for the Writing Program and has taught at the university since 2011. She has previously taught graduate coursework for the School of Education and undergraduate and graduate coursework in PLCPA (Programs in Language, Culture, and Professional Advancement) and Puerta Al Futuro. Her research focuses on the sense of belonging and its impact on the success and retention of first-year first-generation and generation 1.5 college students. Before teaching at FDU, Dr. Mylonas worked in K-12 education.