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SGIA’s First-Generation+ Scholars Group

If neither of your parents went to university before they were aged twenty-five, then you’re a First Generation+ Scholar!
(We use the “+” to ensure that all students from so-called ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds can identify with the label and be offered the support to flourish at Durham).

Many lecturers, researchers and tutors in SGIA are first generation+ scholars!

Here are some of them:

Dr. Carly Beckerman

Dr. Bleddyn Bowen

Professor Stefanie Kappler

Dr. Kyriaki Nanou

Dr. Lewis Mates

 Dr. Ferran Perez-Mena

Professor Roger Macginty

 Professor Emma Murphy

Dr. Anouk Rigterink

 Dr. Resul Umit

We are proud that SGIA is thus far the only academic department in Durham that has a specifically workloaded and resourced member of staff to help run the SGIA first gen. group.

Currently, the staff First Gen.+ lead is Lewis Mates; please email him if you have any questions.

What we do:

  • Advice and academic support:
    • Individual support and advice; from the staff first gen. lead; use their office hours or email them.
    • Student peer mentoring; Incoming first-year SGIA students can request a first-gen. student mentor as part of SGIA’s peer mentoring program (Look out for emails on this )
    • First Gens’ First Resort; the SGIA first gen. handbook (written by and updated annually by first gens) signposts resources and offers advice to help you get the most out of your time at Durham.
    • The John Hardman Library; Run by students in SGIA (and named after a first gen. alumni), first gens can borrow from it key textbooks (and others) that are not available as e-books in the main university library. 
  • Socials:
    • The first gen. group holds socials (normally over pizza) to allow first-gens. to meet and discuss experiences and challenges in an informal, supportive environment.
    • We also hold the ‘famous’ first gen. finalists’ curry night after exams each year.
  • Careers:
    • SGIA First Gen. Alumni Mentor scheme; New for 2024-25, this scheme allows you to be mentored by a former first gen. from SGIA now in a career you are interested in.
    • We hope to get some alumni in to hold sessions on their careers (online and in-person) and offer tips on how to get there.
  • Wider work at Durham:

There’s a bit more detail on all this in this short talk by Lewis here.
If you have any questions, or suggestions do please email Lewis.

 

John Hardman Library


The John Hardman Library loans key textbooks that the main university library cannot stock in e-book format to first generation or otherwise disadvantaged SGIA students for a year at a time. We hope it will be student-run but if you have any queries, please contact the staff First Gen. Scholars lead.

John Hardman is a Durham-born, working-class, first-generation student who left school aged sixteen and trained as a chef. On graduating from Durham University with a 2:1 BA(Hons) in Politics in 2023, aged 37, John handed his university gown and textbooks to SGIA to be used by future first generation or otherwise disadvantaged students. His generous act of solidarity effectively started SGIA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Library and we are proud that he has agreed to put his name to this initiative.

 

Former First Generation Students 

Hear from some of our former first gens talk about their time in SGIA.