First Gen Careers Initiative
As the first in your family to attend a four-year college or university, you face unique considerations as you engage in the career development process. In collaboration with first gen student leaders, the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development established the First Generation Careers (FGC) to support first gen students' career development. The FGC provides first gen students opportunities to discover and explore career paths while building community and pride in being first gen.
FGC programming and events:
- First Gen, First Look at the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development
- Backstage Pass to the Fall Career Fair
- Backstage Pass to the Spring Semester Career Fair
- First Gen Networking Night
- Backstage Pass to Consulting Week
- Backstage Pass to the Wall Street Forum
Find out more information about these events in your Handshake account under Events.
First Gen Careers Leadership Team
Supporting career development efforts for fellow first gen students
2023-2024 Leadership Team
Sophonie Alcindor
Major: Economics, Data Science minor, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) minor
Year and Class: Senior, Class of 2024
Hometown: Lynn, MA
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
- Member, Student Government Department of Diversity & Inclusion: First Generation - Low Income
- Research Assistant, Center for Research Computing
- Teaching Assistant, Writing and Rhetoric Tutorial
- Writing Center Tutor
- Balfour-Hesburgh Scholar and Fighting Irish Scholar
Internship experience
- Communications Intern, Pulte Institute for Global Development
- Research Access and Mentoring Program (RAMP), Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts
- Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester
Logan Balfantz
Major: Business Analytics
Year and Class: Senior, Class of 2024
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
Internship experience
- Procter and Gamble, Brand Management
Dominick Blanco
Major: Computer Science, Latino Studies Minor
Year and Class: Senior, Class of 2024
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Latinx Student Alliance (LSA)
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
- The Wabruda
- Galvin Scholars
Internship experience
- SWE at Ford Motor Company
- VentureOne, Webmaster
- Galvin Scholars ASCEND Program
Chanelly Diaz
Major: Science-Business, Hesburgh Program Minor
Year and Class: Junior, Class of 2025
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
- STACK Lab - Harper Hall, Indiana University South Bend
- Volunteer/Interpreter, Sister Maura Brannick Clinic
- Inclusivity Chair - Howard Hall Executive Board
- Howard Hall Vice President 2023-2024
- Human Energetics Lab Researcher
- Galvin Scholars Program
Internship experience
- Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) (Crossover Health Ministry, Richmond, VA)
- IDA Ireland Intern in the Biopharmaceuticals and Medtech Department (Dublin, Ireland)
Mark Metryoos
Major: Finance
Year and Class: Junior, Class of 2025
Hometown: Orlando, FL
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
- Questbridge Scholar
- Balfour-Hesburgh Scholar
- Fighting Irish Scholar
- Mary E. Galvin Science and Engineering Scholar
- 1stG ND
- BBAND
- FLC
- Secretary of Diversity Council
- Assistant Student Union Treasurer
Internship experience
- Greenwood Project
- Readystate Asset Management
- Morgan Stanley
Isaiah Scarlett
Major: Strategic Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor
Year and Class: Senior, Class of 2024
Hometown: Albany, NY
Extracurricular activities
- First Generation Careers (FGC)
- Former Co-Editor-in-Chief of Strike Magazine Notre Dame
- Former Assistant Creative Director of Strike Magazine Notre Dame
- Unleashed Social Ventures
- Investment Club
- Real Estate Club of Notre Dame
- Notre Dame Student Media, Student Employee
Internship experience
- JP Morgan Asset & Wealth Management Fellow
- JP Morgan Global Private Bank Summer Analyst
2023-2024 Advisory Board Members
- Grecia Alcantar, '26 - Political Science, Supplementary Major of Latino Studies
- Danny Barreto, '26 - Marketing
- Mareyela Cardenas, '26 - Science-Business
- Gjon Curanaj, '26 - Finance, Supplementary Major of Theology
- EG Gonzalez, '25 - Computer Science
- Kimberly Hernandez, '26 - Finance
- Lissette Hernandez, '25 - Economics
- Hayden Hofacker, '26 - Finance
- Maria Leal, '26 - Computer Science
- Jakob Lopez, '26 - Business Analytics, Global Affairs
- Mushfiq Milan, '25 - Business Analytics
- Melissa Osorio, '26 - Economics
- Rita Sauceda, '26 - Marketing, Global Affairs
- Peyton Shrader, '26 - Global Affairs, Anthropology
- EJ Tapia, '26 - Finance
- Natalie Wlodarz, '25 - Economics, Finance
First Generation Resources at Notre Dame
Additional Career Resources
Diversity and Inclusion Showcase Book