First in the Pack was founded in 2013 as a mentoring program dedicated to supporting first generation students in their first year of undergraduate studies at Loyola. The First in the Pack community consists of a campus-wide network of faculty, staff, and student allies. Each first year student is connected to a peer mentor that is an upperclassmen at Loyola.
Benefits of being a part of FITP
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Immediate access to a diverse, thoughtful, and supportive group of faculty, staff, and student allies
- On-campus/Virtual Events dedicated to Navigating the first year of college
- Fun events that include Pizza Parties, Lunches, and our traditional S’mores in the Quad event
- A celebration of what it means to be “The Next Gen” on National First Generation Day (November 8th)
- A Fall and Spring Kick-Off
- A Fall Retreat
- Discussions focused on Career Exploration and Experiential Learning Opportunities
- Academic Advising and Success Coaching
Become a Future Peer Mentor
First Year students are welcomed and encouraged to serve as a First in the Pack Peer Mentor after their first year at Loyola. Applications for Peer Mentors are available each year in Spring during the month of March and will be posted on HowlConnect. Applicants can expect a Spring and Summer training and information session. Visit our Peer Mentors page for more info!