III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 903 

Expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as ‘‘National 

First-Generation College Celebration Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 21 (legislative day, NOVEMBER 20), 2024 

Mr. WARNOCK (for himself, Mr. MARSHALL, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. DURBIN, and 

Mr. BOOKER) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, 

as ‘‘National First-Generation College Celebration Day’’. 

Whereas a ‘‘first-generation college student’’ means an individual whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate 

degree, or in the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only 1 parent, an 

individual whose parent did not complete a baccalaureate 

degree; 

Whereas November 8 honors the anniversary of the signing 

of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 

et seq.) by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 

8, 1965; 

Whereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 was focused on 

increasing postsecondary education access and success for 


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•SRES 903 ATS 

students, particularly low-income and first-generation college students; 

Whereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 helped usher in 

programs necessary for low-income, first-generation college students to access, remain in, and complete postsecondary education, including the Federal TRIO programs 

under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the 

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et 

seq.) and the Federal Pell Grant program under section 

401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1070a); 

Whereas the Federal TRIO programs are the primary national effort supporting underrepresented students in 

postsecondary education and are designed to identify individuals from low-income backgrounds that would be 

first-generation college students and prepare them for 

postsecondary education, provide them support services, 

and motivate and prepare them for doctoral programs; 

Whereas the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 

of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) 

is the primary Federal investment in financial aid for 

low-income college students and is used by students at institutions of higher education of their choice; 

Whereas first-generation college students may face additional 

academic, financial, and social challenges that their peers 

do not face in pursuing higher education; 

Whereas 54 percent of all current college students currently 

pursuing degrees are first-generation college students; 

Whereas the Council for Opportunity in Education and the 

Center for First-generation Student Success jointly 


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•SRES 903 ATS 

launched the inaugural First-Generation College Celebration in 2017; and 

Whereas the First-Generation College Celebration has continued to grow, and institutions of higher education, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and elementary and 

secondary schools now celebrate November 8 as ‘‘FirstGeneration College Celebration Day’’: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of No3 vember 8, 2024, as ‘‘National First-Generation Col4 lege Celebration Day’’; and 

5 (2) urges all people of the United States to— 

6 (A) celebrate ‘‘National First-Generation 

7 College Celebration Day’’ throughout the 

8 United States; 

9 (B) recognize the important role that first10 generation college students play in helping to 

11 develop the future workforce; and 

12 (C) celebrate the Higher Education Act of 

13 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) and its pro14 grams that help underrepresented students ac15 cess higher education. 

Æ 


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